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: $2,053 in Forster versus $2,344 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,083 in Forster versus $3,449 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,113 in Forster versus $4,555 in Perth.

Living in Forster costs roughly 12% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Forster 54% above, Perth 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 A$23.34

$16.05 A$22.77

2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 A$110

0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 A$11.25

$10.58 A$15.01

-25.05%

Cappuccino

$3.42 A$4.85

$3.63 A$5.15

-5.79%

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

$2.56 A$3.63

$2.48 A$3.52

3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.72

$1.97 A$2.80

-2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.45

$7.57 A$10.74

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 A$7.23

$6.51 A$9.24

-21.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 A$1.46

$1.47 A$2.08

-29.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.78

$2.37 A$3.37

12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.31

$1.95 A$2.76

20.00%

Eggs

$2.88 A$4.08

$4.45 A$6.31

-35.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.45

$8.63 A$12.25

1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 A$9.14

$8.27 A$11.73

-22.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 A$20.28

$14.00 A$19.87

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.23

$3.55 A$5.03

-16.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 A$2.74

$2.94 A$4.17

-34.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.70

$2.82 A$4.00

-32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.18

$4.57 A$6.48

-4.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 A$2.35

$2.41 A$3.42

-31.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 A$1.41

$1.73 A$2.46

-42.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 A$2.82

$1.93 A$2.73

3.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 A$1.75

$1.45 A$2.06

-15.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.92 A$45.29

$32.08 A$45.52

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$19.99

$13.43 A$19.05

4.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.88 A$6.92

$3.94 A$5.60

23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 A$7.80

$4.22 A$5.98

30.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.72

$3.04 A$4.32

-13.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 A$93.3

$72.2 A$103

-8.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.65

$4.04 A$5.73

-1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 A$2.18

$2.15 A$3.05

-28.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 A$73.9

$49.61 A$70.4

5.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.63

$1.12 A$1.60

2.68%

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

$29.1K A$41.2K

$28.3K A$40.2K

2.53%

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

$22.2K A$31.5K

$23.9K A$33.9K

-7.16%

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

$64.8 A$91.9

$158 A$225

-59.07%

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

$24.35 A$34.55

$28.01 A$39.74

-13.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 A$74.6

$54.4 A$77.2

-3.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 A$68.8

$41.05 A$58.3

18.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.76 A$22.36

$15.96 A$22.64

-1.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 A$17.52

$16.15 A$22.92

-23.53%

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

$325 A$461

$1,797 A$2,550

-81.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,938 A$5,588

$12.0K A$17.1K

-67.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 A$92.8

$69.0 A$97.9

-5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 A$83.3

$48.00 A$68.1

22.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 A$137

$101 A$143

-3.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 A$187

$108 A$153

22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 A$1,781

$1,501 A$2,130

-16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 A$1,522

$1,131 A$1,605

-5.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 A$2,833

$2,494 A$3,538

-19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,649 A$2,340

$1,812 A$2,570

-8.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,391 A$9,068

$8,461 A$12.0K

-24.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,257 A$7,459

$5,611 A$7,962

-6.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,318 A$6,127

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Perth: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Forster and $1,501 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Forster vs $77.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $334 per month, with Forster 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

Forster vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Forster and Perth differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,053 vs $2,344 including rent). Forster is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,079 in Forster and $3,515 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: $1,255 in Forster versus $1,501 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 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 8% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,053 in Forster versus $2,344 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 14% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.