Cost of Living Comparison Between Goulburn and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Goulburn and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Goulburn vs $3,083 in Perth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,603 per month in Goulburn vs $4,303 in Perth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,754 per month in Goulburn vs $5,522 in Perth, rent included.

Goulburn is about 20% cheaper than Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Goulburn and Perth sit above the global median – Goulburn by 79%, Perth by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 A$24.38

$21.57 A$29.93

-18.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 A$127

$84.9 A$118

7.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 A$11.79

$11.01 A$15.28

-22.80%

Cappuccino

$3.17 A$4.40

$4.65 A$6.46

-31.83%

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

$2.81 A$3.90

$2.92 A$4.06

-3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.11

$2.26 A$3.14

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.74 A$10.73

$8.71 A$12.09

-11.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 A$10.04

$8.38 A$11.62

-13.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.73

$1.71 A$2.38

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 A$3.76

$3.18 A$4.42

-14.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.32

$2.10 A$2.92

13.81%

Eggs

$4.95 A$6.87

$5.38 A$7.47

-7.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 A$17.88

$9.26 A$12.85

39.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 A$13.13

$9.39 A$13.03

0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 A$23.08

$14.57 A$20.22

14.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 A$4.84

$4.76 A$6.60

-26.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.21

$3.35 A$4.65

-31.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 A$2.55

$3.47 A$4.81

-46.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.76

$5.24 A$7.27

-20.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.68

$2.98 A$4.13

-11.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 A$1.92

$1.99 A$2.76

-30.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 A$2.03

$2.29 A$3.18

-36.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 A$1.52

$1.32 A$1.83

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.69 A$64.8

$42.45 A$58.9

9.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 A$11.60

$12.95 A$17.97

-35.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 A$6.04

$4.56 A$6.32

-4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 A$5.48

$3.50 A$4.86

12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 A$4.20

$2.48 A$3.45

21.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 A$118

$99.6 A$138

-14.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 A$4.02

$3.82 A$5.30

-24.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.30

$1.43 A$1.98

16.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.40 A$57.4

$40.92 A$56.8

1.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.01

$1.34 A$1.86

8.21%

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

$30.8K A$42.8K

$27.9K A$38.7K

10.61%

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

$30.5K A$42.4K

$31.1K A$43.2K

-1.90%

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

$107 A$148

$207 A$287

-48.46%

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

$28.12 A$39.01

$33.06 A$45.86

-14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 A$81.1

$65.1 A$90.3

-10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 A$77.0

$57.4 A$79.6

-3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.49 A$22.88

$21.95 A$30.45

-24.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 A$11.84

$17.10 A$23.72

-50.06%

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

$2,278 A$3,160

$2,383 A$3,306

-4.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K A$39.8K

$24.2K A$33.5K

18.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 A$115

$78.3 A$109

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.1 A$101

$67.5 A$93.7

8.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 A$159

$122 A$169

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$184

$159 A$221

-16.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 A$1,990

$1,935 A$2,684

-25.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 A$1,553

$1,645 A$2,282

-31.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 A$2,819

$2,839 A$3,938

-28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 A$2,498

$2,261 A$3,136

-20.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,126 A$9,886

$8,673 A$12.0K

-17.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,887 A$6,780

$5,918 A$8,209

-17.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,126 A$5,724

$4,273 A$5,929

-3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Goulburn: August 31, 2026

Last update for Perth: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,435 in Goulburn versus $1,935 in Perth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Perth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Goulburn versus $85.0 in Perth. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Goulburn vs $375 in Perth – so Goulburn wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Goulburn vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perth is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,679 per month in Goulburn and $4,625 in Perth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Goulburn, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Perth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Goulburn and $85.0 in Perth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Goulburn, where all-in costs run around $2,453, than in Perth at $3,083. In Goulburn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Goulburn – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Goulburn. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Perth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.