Last Updated: October 1, 2021
Adelaide Vs. Brisbane: Which City Will Suit You Better?
If you’re planning on visiting or moving to Australia, you might be wondering which city will suit you better Adelaide vs Brisbane? It’s not an easy choice to make as these cities are very different both geographical and in their general feel, but how do you choose?
As we take a look at Adelaide vs Brisbane, I’ll do my best to showcase what each city has to offer and compare the two so you have all the information you need to make the right choice.
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About The Cities
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital of South Australia State and the fifth-largest city in the country. It’s home to around 1.3 million people and has a land area of 3,260 sq km.
Sitting right on the south coast of Australia, it couldn’t be much further away from Brisbane if it tried. It’s full of great architecture, a lively cafe and restaurant scene, the locals a friendly, and you’re never far from the beach or the surrounding hills.
Adelaide is also right next to Australia’s wine regions such as the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley, and it has a much drier climate overall and isn’t very humid.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and is the third-largest city in Australia with a land area of 15,842 sq km and a population of 2.3 million people. It sits on the east coast of central Australia and is a much bigger and busier place than Adelaide generally.
Brisbane is a young and alive city with a lot going on. It’s full of modern architecture and loads of things to do, plus it’s right on the beach and has pretty great weather all year round but it does get very humid at times.
The people aren’t quite as friendly in Brisbane as they are in Adelaide and it’s been pointed out a few times that it’s much easier to make friends in Adelaide than in Brisbane.
Verdict
Adelaide is a smaller more relaxed city when compared to Brisbane, and this is both in the number of people living there and their general vibe. Adelaide is not your iconic modern Australian surf city like Brisbane, it’s a lot more laid back and much older than modern Brisbane.
Things To Do
Adelaide
Adelaide is a sophisticated city that is bursting at the seams with history, culture, art galleries, museums, and a lot more. You can go from sipping cocktails on the white sand beaches to being surrounded by Australia’s natural history in a few hours.
If it’s art and history you’re after you’ll love Adelaide’s ring of parkland on the River Torrens. Around this leafy part of the city, you’ll find the Art Gallery of South Australia showcasing large collections from around the world and a lot of the best Indigenous art you’re likely to find in Australia.
You’ll also find a lot of architectural beauty as you walk around the city, especially if you see the old churches which are a fascinating glance into the history of the country. Natural beauty is everywhere too from the white-sand beaches in the city to the botanical garden and the Himeji Japanese garden.
To top it all off, Adelaide has some of the best shopping in Australia with awesome boutiques and fantastic malls with everything you need or want. You’ll also find a hip cafe culture, amazing restaurants, and wine tasting is a must too since it’s the capital of Australia’s wine region.
Brisbane
Brisbane has it all when it comes to things to do and see in the city. One of the most happening areas in Brisbane is South Bank where everything merges from music to art and culture all around the stunning vistas of Brisbane River.
You’ll find the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art in South Bank, one of the leading art galleries in Australia, which holds over 16,000 pieces of contemporary, modern, and historical art. The Queensland Museum is also nearby which showcases the history of the region both from a human and natural perspective.
Just around the corner in South Bank, you’ll find the eco collective markets on Stanley Street Plaza selling everything from quirky to electric and bargain second-hand clothes, jewelry, and household items. The market is very much alive and buzzing and has a great atmosphere.
if you’re looking for some nature in Brisbane, there are some lovely beaches on the outskirts of the city along with a few botanical gardens worth exploring, the Roma Street Parkland, and it’s always great to visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
You’ll also find a happening music scene in Brisbane with a lot of cafes and outdoor venues hosting live acts during the day. There’s always something going on wherever you wander, especially around South Bank.
Verdict
While both Adelaide and Brisbane have a lot of great things to do in them, Brisbane seems to come out on top. Brisbane has all the green spaces, museums, and art galleries that Adelaide does but there is a lot more happening in terms of markets, music, and more. The one thing Brisbane doesn’t have is the old architecture that Adelaide does but the modern architecture of Brisbane is pretty cool too.
What’s The Food Scene Like?
Adelaide
Adelaide’s food scene is spectacular, so much so that it’s starting to compete for being the foodie capital of Australia. You can find everything you want to eat in Adelaide, whether it’s pizza that tastes like it’s from Rome, fresh seafood, Asian sensations, or rustic good old Aussie food.
If you want a real taste of Adelaide’s food scene you should head to the Adelaide Central Market where you’ll find fresh produce from around the world as well as food stalls selling delicious food. Make your way around the tasting boards picking up cheeses and cured meats, or stop at one of the cafes for an amazing brunch/lunch.
Adelaide also has some incredible 5-star restaurants if you want to dine out in style head to Osteria Oggi for a dinner in a delightful setting and some amazing Italian food. If you want a fusion of tastes from around the world then head to Peel St where they masterfully combine Middle Eastern, South East Asian, and Mediterranean flavors into delicious dishes.
It’s not hard to find great food in Adelaide, just wander the streets and let your senses take control. Pretty much everywhere has a good meal waiting for you.
Brisbane
Brisbane’s food scene is as up and coming as Adelaides and is also beginning to contend with the likes of Sydney and Melbourne as the best city for foodies in Australia. A lot of investment has gone into Brisbane recently which has seen the restaurant scene change and diversify in a great way.
One place you shouldn’t miss while you’re out in Brisbane is The Good Grocer, the 2015 Produce Award winner for Outstanding Food Store. This cafe-come grocery store sits in a converted warehouse and is the place to go for fresh organic fruit and veg as well as delicious artisanal bread, flowers, milk, and more. It also serves amazing lunch dishes from woodfired salmon on rye sourdough with creme fraiche to spicy roast cauliflower.
If you’re looking for a fun night out, you should start at Kwan Brothers who serve the best of Asian Street Food amongst a real party atmosphere with booming music and Asian cocktails to go with it. The double-cooked pork belly is out of this world and it’s certainly a great place to kick start a night on the town.
Whatever food you’re after, you’ll find it in Brisbane quite easily. From great French and Italian restaurants to Asian and beyond.
Verdict
There isn’t much of a gap between the food scenes of Adelaide and Brisbane, they are both up and coming in the food scene and the range of different dishes and cuisines on offer are excellent. You have everything from easy-going cafes to high-end restaurants and late-night pizza places to pop into on your way home.
The Weather
Adelaide
The weather in Adelaide is lovely as it never seems to get too hot or too cold, despite being quite far south. In the summer between temperatures range from 17 °C to 29 °C so it does get quite hot but it’s not humid, it’s very much dry heat. It doesn’t rain much in summer either with just 3 days a month on average.
Wintertime in Adelaide is also very pleasant with temperatures ranging from 9°C to 16 °C. It is a lot cooler than Brisbane but still very manageable but the rainfall does go up with around 10-11 rainy days per month.
Brisbane
The climate in Brisbane is a lot more tropical than that of Adelaide and it makes sense considering it’s a lot further north than Adelaide. Summers see temperatures of 21°C to 30°C and it’s very humid and sticky during this time of year, especially when you add the 9-10 days per month of rain Brisbane gets in the summer.
Winters in Brisbane are very mild and the temperatures range from 10°C to 22°C, meaning it doesn’t ever feel like winter. Winter is also the dry season in Brisbane with just 3-4 days a month of rain on average making it a lot less humid.
Brisbane is generally a lot wetter than Adelaide though as it always gets around 8-10 days of rain a month until the three-month dry season over winter.
Verdict
For warm weather all year round, Brisbane is the obvious choice but there is a payoff, mainly that it’s humid heat and is rather stuffy plus it rains quite a lot in Brisbane, especially over the summer.
Adelaide on the other hand feels more like it has seasons. The summers are lovely and warm, not too humid, and very dry with little rainfall while the winters aren’t cold by any means but they are quite wet, like Brisbane summers.
Public Transport
Both Brisbane’s and Adelaide’s public transport systems are pretty good on a global scale but Adelaides is a little better.
In Adelaide, you have buses, trains, and trams that are all run by one company, Adelaide Metro. This makes moving around much easier as you can use a Metrocard across all forms of transportation and they all run effeminately too. In Adelaide, you’re never more than 20 minutes away from anything.
Brisbane’s public transport system is comprised of buses, trains, and ferries, all of which are run by different companies, meaning buying tickets is a little tricky. Brisbane is also quite big compared to Adelaide, so while the public transport is quite efficient, it can take a while to get from A to B.
Costs Of The Cities
Adelaide vs Brisbane
Adelaide is quite an affordable city to visit and is more affordable than Brisbane overall. Your hotel in Adelaide will cost on average around $60 per person per night whereas in Brisbane you’re looking at spending more like $73 a night per person, so around 18% more.
When it comes to food costs, both of the cities are on par, and the average cost for food per day for a traveler is around $28 in both cities. When it comes to having a few beers and cocktails though it’s very different. In Adelaide, you might spend on average around $20 a day on drinks but it’s $45 a day in Brisbane, more than double.
Entertainment is a lot cheaper in Adelaide too averaging out at around $12 a day for sightseeing tours, tickets to museums, and more when compared to $21 a day in Brisbane, again close to double the costs. Public transport is also more expensive in Brisbane at $18 a day compared to $11 a day in Adelaide.
As you can see, your money is going to go a lot further in Adelaide than in Brisbane as almost everything is a lot more affordable, and you’ll save on average 18% across the board by going to Adelaide instead of Brisbane.
Adelaide vs Brisbane – The Verdict
Adelaide and Brisbane are very different cities which both have a certain appeal to them which makes it quite hard to choose.
If you’re looking for a young and vibrant city with lots going on, then Brisbane might be a better fit for you, and you get access to the rest of the gold coast from there if you want to continue your travels.
If you want a more low-key but local experience, Adelaide fits the bill. It feels homier in general and a little more sophisticated than Brisbane with a slower pace to it too.
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
