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 $2,136 per month in Penrith vs $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $3,163 per month in Penrith vs $1,416 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $4,190 per month in Penrith vs $1,981 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Penrith costs about 151% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Penrith sits 59% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 A$15.65

$2.74 ¥18.57

307.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.5 A$124

$22.37 ¥151

295.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 A$13.66

$4.77 ¥32.29

104.40%

Cappuccino

$2.64 A$3.70

$3.17 ¥21.43

-16.72%

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

$2.71 A$3.80

$0.50 ¥3.40

442.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.16

$0.30 ¥2.02

653.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 A$8.99

$1.01 ¥6.84

534.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.29

$1.66 ¥11.21

170.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 A$1.98

$1.89 ¥12.78

-25.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 A$3.23

$2.03 ¥13.77

13.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 A$1.26

$1.29 ¥8.72

-30.23%

Eggs

$3.38 A$4.73

$1.56 ¥10.57

116.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 A$14.35

$19.15 ¥130

-46.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.62

$4.70 ¥31.84

76.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 A$20.26

$14.33 ¥97.0

0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.24

$2.12 ¥14.38

8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.04

$1.25 ¥8.49

131.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.19

$1.99 ¥13.49

50.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.67

$1.48 ¥10.03

221.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.18

$0.95 ¥6.43

138.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.66

$1.08 ¥7.34

75.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.49

$0.56 ¥3.81

344.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 A$1.08

$0.61 ¥4.12

26.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.97 A$43.39

$3.93 ¥26.57

688.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 A$20.91

$10.48 ¥71.0

42.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.32

$0.93 ¥6.31

461.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 A$8.50

$1.41 ¥9.54

330.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.67

$0.44 ¥2.97

495.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 A$90.7

$25.10 ¥170

157.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 A$5.48

$1.62 ¥10.98

141.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.41

$0.35 ¥2.34

391.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.85 A$55.8

$6.12 ¥41.39

551.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.58

$1.16 ¥7.86

-2.59%

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

$29.0K A$40.7K

$21.3K ¥144.0K

36.46%

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

$23.3K A$32.7K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

19.87%

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

$163 A$228

$60.2 ¥408

170.32%

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

$29.58 A$41.45

$12.94 ¥87.6

128.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 A$73.7

$11.49 ¥77.8

357.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.41 A$67.8

$40.75 ¥276

18.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 A$22.07

$13.85 ¥93.7

13.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 A$18.87

$6.47 ¥43.81

108.19%

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

$1,756 A$2,460

$319 ¥2,161

449.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.4K

$16.2K ¥109.7K

-18.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 A$99.5

$41.23 ¥279

72.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.4

$28.59 ¥194

98.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 A$137

$69.1 ¥467

41.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 A$160

$61.7 ¥417

84.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 A$1,565

$492 ¥3,333

126.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 A$1,518

$269 ¥1,824

302.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,787

$1,135 ¥7,680

75.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 A$2,318

$618 ¥4,181

167.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,090 A$8,534

$8,864 ¥60.0K

-31.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,081 A$7,119

$3,369 ¥22.8K

50.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 A$3,527

$1,314 ¥8,894

91.56%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Penrith versus $492 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.

Salaries run about 92% higher in Penrith, 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 $88.0 in Penrith versus $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $251 – 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: $2,136 in Penrith, $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 151% apart. Penrith costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,204 per month in Penrith and $1,275 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 $2,136 in Penrith and $850 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 158% 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 $850, than in Penrith at $2,136. 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.