Money · 18 March 2026 · 6 min read
What relocating to Brisbane actually costs
Transfer duty, removalists, temporary accommodation, cars and the first school term.
The one-off costs
Interstate removalists for a family home typically run several thousand dollars, more if you need storage between the lease and the purchase. Add building and pest inspections, conveyancing, vehicle registration transfer and roadworthy, and bond plus advance rent if you lease first.
If you buy, Queensland transfer duty is the largest single line. Model it on your actual budget early — it changes what you can spend on the house itself.
The costs people forget
School uniforms, laptops, levies and first-term fees land at once. Air conditioning and pool maintenance are real Brisbane line items. And most families arriving from a city with better public transport end up buying a second car within a year.