Cost of Living Comparison Between Penrith and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Penrith and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,196 per month in Penrith vs $859 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $3,214 per month in Penrith vs $1,406 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $4,232 per month in Penrith vs $1,952 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Penrith costs about 156% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Penrith sits 64% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 A$15.50

$2.82 ¥19.08

285.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.4 A$125

$21.90 ¥148

298.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 A$13.86

$4.77 ¥32.22

103.56%

Cappuccino

$2.54 A$3.63

$3.11 ¥21.00

-18.33%

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

$2.59 A$3.71

$0.50 ¥3.39

418.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.34

$0.30 ¥2.01

680.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 A$9.32

$1.01 ¥6.83

545.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 A$6.52

$1.63 ¥11.02

180.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.95

$1.89 ¥12.76

-27.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 A$3.17

$2.00 ¥13.49

11.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 A$1.26

$1.29 ¥8.71

-31.78%

Eggs

$3.35 A$4.78

$1.57 ¥10.59

113.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 A$14.06

$18.92 ¥128

-47.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 A$11.83

$4.58 ¥30.92

80.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 A$20.65

$14.34 ¥96.9

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.33

$2.11 ¥14.23

10.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.21

$1.25 ¥8.42

136.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.26

$1.98 ¥13.40

50.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 A$6.84

$1.42 ¥9.60

237.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.31

$0.94 ¥6.33

146.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 A$2.76

$1.06 ¥7.14

82.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 A$3.36

$0.55 ¥3.73

327.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 A$1.05

$0.65 ¥4.40

13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.46 A$43.50

$3.77 ¥25.44

707.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.58 A$20.81

$12.08 ¥81.6

20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 A$7.13

$0.92 ¥6.25

442.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 A$8.30

$1.41 ¥9.51

312.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.74

$0.44 ¥2.94

495.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 A$91.8

$24.85 ¥168

158.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 A$5.86

$1.71 ¥11.54

140.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 A$2.57

$0.35 ¥2.36

414.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.08 A$58.7

$6.09 ¥41.13

574.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.18 ¥8.00

-2.54%

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

$29.0K A$41.5K

$21.1K ¥142.6K

37.62%

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

$22.6K A$32.2K

$19.5K ¥131.8K

15.63%

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

$160 A$229

$60.0 ¥406

166.79%

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

$29.40 A$41.99

$13.13 ¥88.7

123.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 A$74.8

$11.76 ¥79.5

345.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 A$68.6

$41.79 ¥282

15.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 A$22.55

$13.83 ¥93.4

14.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 A$19.26

$6.34 ¥42.86

112.78%

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

$1,780 A$2,541

$313 ¥2,114

468.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K A$19.0K

$15.8K ¥106.7K

-15.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 A$103

$40.68 ¥275

76.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 A$81.5

$28.49 ¥192

100.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 A$141

$69.7 ¥471

41.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$165

$60.2 ¥407

91.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 A$1,595

$495 ¥3,347

125.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 A$1,525

$274 ¥1,852

289.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 A$2,860

$1,143 ¥7,723

75.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,696 A$2,423

$620 ¥4,186

173.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,908 A$9,864

$8,867 ¥59.9K

-22.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,569 A$6,525

$3,363 ¥22.7K

35.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,638

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

4.08

54.17%

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

Last update for Penrith: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Penrith versus $495 in Guangzhou (Canton). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Penrith versus $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $253 – making Guangzhou (Canton) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Penrith vs Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,196 in Penrith, $859 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 156% apart. Penrith costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,294 per month in Penrith and $1,288 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,196 in Penrith and $859 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $859, than in Penrith at $2,196. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Penrith it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guangzhou (Canton) – 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 Guangzhou (Canton). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penrith makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.