Brisbane Travel Money Guide

Brisbane is the easy-going one: warmer, more relaxed and noticeably cheaper than Sydney or Melbourne, with a river running through the middle and the Gold Coast an hour away. It's just as cashless, and its public transport is some of the best value in the country.

How much cash to bring to Brisbane

A rough daily budget for a comfortable mid-range trip:

• Food — A$40–75/day (you'll eat for less than in the southern capitals)
• Local transport — A$1–10/day (TransLink fares are very cheap right now)
• Sights & river — A$15–50/day (South Bank, a CityCat ride, day trips)

Paying your way around Brisbane

• Tap a card or use a Go card — contactless bank cards now work across TransLink (bus, train, ferry), or buy a Go card.
• Fares are remarkably cheap — at the time of writing, Queensland's flat 50-cent fare trial makes any TransLink trip just A$0.50, however far you go.
• Ride the CityCat — the river ferries are a scenic, cheap way to get between South Bank, the CBD and the suburbs.
• Cards everywhere else — cafés, shops and restaurants are all contactless.

Neighbourhood cash notes

• South Bank — markets, eateries and the lagoon precinct are card-friendly; weekend craft stalls may like cash.
• CBD & Fortitude Valley — bars, cafés and restaurants are all card.
• West End — the Davies Park weekend market has some cash-only stalls.
• Day trips (Gold/Sunshine Coast) — card-friendly, but check parking meters.

One Brisbane habit

• Lean on the cheap transport — with flat 50-cent fares and the CityCat, getting around Brisbane costs next to nothing, leaving more of your budget for the Gold Coast. Carry just a little cash for weekend markets.