Cost of Living Comparison Between Forster and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Forster and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,117 in Forster versus $2,311 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,104 in Forster versus $3,428 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,090 in Forster versus $4,545 in Perth.

Living in Forster costs roughly 8% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Forster 58% above, Perth 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.14 A$22.81

$16.07 A$22.71

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$112

$77.1 A$109

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 A$11.78

$10.45 A$14.76

-20.29%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.71

$3.72 A$5.26

-10.48%

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

$2.49 A$3.52

$2.45 A$3.47

1.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 A$2.85

$1.98 A$2.80

2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 A$9.24

$7.61 A$10.76

-14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 A$7.24

$6.66 A$9.41

-23.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 A$1.45

$1.44 A$2.04

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 A$3.96

$2.41 A$3.41

16.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.34

$1.94 A$2.73

21.65%

Eggs

$3.02 A$4.26

$4.40 A$6.22

-31.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 A$12.23

$8.47 A$11.96

2.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 A$9.38

$8.16 A$11.53

-18.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 A$20.11

$13.76 A$19.44

3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.12

$3.47 A$4.91

-15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.69

$2.94 A$4.15

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.78

$2.92 A$4.13

-32.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 A$6.35

$4.61 A$6.51

-2.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 A$2.32

$2.54 A$3.59

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 A$1.36

$1.80 A$2.54

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 A$2.72

$2.01 A$2.85

-3.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 A$1.77

$1.46 A$2.06

-14.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.89 A$46.47

$31.72 A$44.82

3.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.14 A$19.98

$12.78 A$18.06

10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.67

$3.77 A$5.32

25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 A$7.76

$4.22 A$5.96

30.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.70

$2.94 A$4.15

-10.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 A$92.9

$71.1 A$100

-7.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 A$5.41

$4.00 A$5.65

-4.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.27

$2.14 A$3.03

-24.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.7 A$73.0

$49.61 A$70.1

4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.68

$1.13 A$1.59

5.31%

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

$28.4K A$40.2K

$29.2K A$41.3K

-2.60%

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

$22.3K A$31.5K

$24.0K A$34.0K

-7.29%

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

$64.9 A$91.6

$159 A$225

-59.24%

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

$24.01 A$33.92

$27.87 A$39.38

-13.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 A$73.9

$55.7 A$78.6

-6.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 A$68.3

$42.11 A$59.5

14.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.28

$15.93 A$22.51

-1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 A$17.34

$16.15 A$22.83

-24.02%

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

$327 A$462

$1,797 A$2,540

-81.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,843 A$5,430

$12.0K A$17.0K

-67.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 A$91.0

$71.5 A$101

-9.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 A$83.2

$47.98 A$67.8

22.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 A$138

$102 A$144

-4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$183

$105 A$148

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,799

$1,498 A$2,116

-15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 A$1,482

$1,175 A$1,660

-10.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,018 A$2,851

$2,578 A$3,642

-21.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 A$2,355

$1,830 A$2,585

-8.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,544 A$7,833

$6,927 A$9,788

-19.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,914 A$8,356

$5,311 A$7,505

11.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 A$6,200

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.42

-1.25%

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

Last update for Forster: June 8, 2026

Last update for Perth: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in Forster and $1,498 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Forster vs $77.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $311 vs $331, with Forster cheaper for home cooking.

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

Forster vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Forster and Perth differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,117 vs $2,311 including rent). Forster is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,176 in Forster and $3,466 in Perth to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,273 in Forster versus $1,498 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $327 in Forster versus $1,797 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,117 in Forster versus $2,311 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Forster but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Forster the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Forster 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 Forster gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.