Cost of Living Comparison Between Bowral and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Bowral and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,672 in Bowral versus $3,083 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,767 in Bowral versus $4,303 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,861 in Bowral versus $5,522 in Perth.

Living in Bowral costs roughly 13% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bowral 94% above, Perth 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 A$22.36

$21.57 A$30.18

-25.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 A$128

$84.9 A$119

7.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 A$15.10

$11.01 A$15.41

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$2.89 A$4.05

$4.65 A$6.51

-37.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 A$3.07

$2.92 A$4.09

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 A$1.98

$2.26 A$3.17

-37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 A$11.91

$8.71 A$12.19

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.24 A$14.32

$8.38 A$11.72

22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.71 A$2.40

-4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 A$4.78

$3.18 A$4.45

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.81

$2.10 A$2.94

29.52%

Eggs

$5.48 A$7.66

$5.38 A$7.53

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 A$19.94

$9.26 A$12.96

54.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 A$15.37

$9.39 A$13.13

17.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 A$22.64

$14.57 A$20.38

11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 A$5.67

$4.76 A$6.65

-14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.49

$3.35 A$4.68

-4.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 A$5.13

$3.47 A$4.85

5.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 A$7.13

$5.24 A$7.33

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.49

$2.98 A$4.16

7.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$1.99 A$2.78

39.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 A$3.82

$2.29 A$3.20

19.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.32 A$1.85

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.36 A$63.5

$42.45 A$59.4

6.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.64 A$20.48

$12.95 A$18.12

13.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.61

$4.56 A$6.37

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 A$7.86

$3.50 A$4.90

60.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 A$4.98

$2.48 A$3.47

43.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.5 A$115

$99.6 A$139

-17.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 A$5.77

$3.82 A$5.34

8.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.43 A$2.00

13.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.48 A$60.8

$40.92 A$57.2

6.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.82

$1.34 A$1.87

-2.99%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K A$39.0K

-0.06%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.3K A$43.7K

$31.1K A$43.6K

0.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$191 A$267

$207 A$289

-7.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.74 A$38.80

$33.06 A$46.24

-16.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$80.0

$65.1 A$91.0

-12.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 A$75.9

$57.4 A$80.3

-5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 A$25.64

$21.95 A$30.70

-16.49%

Cinema Ticket

$16.93 A$23.67

$17.10 A$23.92

-0.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,430 A$3,399

$2,383 A$3,333

1.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K A$28.8K

$24.2K A$33.8K

-14.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 A$110

$78.3 A$110

0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 A$81.9

$67.5 A$94.5

-13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$171

-0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 A$188

$159 A$223

-15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 A$1,929

$1,935 A$2,706

-28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 A$1,995

$1,645 A$2,301

-13.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,541 A$3,555

$2,839 A$3,971

-10.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 A$2,620

$2,261 A$3,162

-17.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,731 A$9,415

$8,673 A$12.1K

-22.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,106 A$7,142

$5,918 A$8,277

-13.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,281 A$4,590

$4,273 A$5,978

-23.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.92

0.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bowral: August 30, 2026

Last update for Perth: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,379 in Bowral and $1,935 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Bowral vs $85.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $375 per month, with Perth cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bowral vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bowral and Perth differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,672 vs $3,083 including rent). Bowral is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Perth. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,379 in Bowral versus $1,935 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,430 in Bowral versus $2,383 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bowral is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bowral and Perth are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bowral gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.