Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Albury Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Albury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,266 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,439 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $4,613 in Albury.

Living in Perth is roughly 37% more expensive than in Albury, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Albury 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.20

$19.67 A$27.62

5.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$92.6 A$130

-6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.91

$10.89 A$15.30

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.43

$4.06 A$5.71

12.81%

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

$2.96 A$4.15

$3.18 A$4.46

-6.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.25

$2.76 A$3.88

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.18

$7.01 A$9.84

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.20

$7.19 A$10.09

20.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.47

$1.60 A$2.25

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.23

$3.26 A$4.58

-7.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.96

$2.70 A$3.79

-21.85%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.34

$5.58 A$7.83

-6.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.74

$8.57 A$12.03

5.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.90

$10.69 A$15.02

-14.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.11

$12.81 A$17.99

11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.64

$3.30 A$4.63

43.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.66

$3.19 A$4.48

4.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.91

$3.59 A$5.05

-2.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.19

$5.03 A$7.06

1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.08

$3.18 A$4.46

-8.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.70

$2.10 A$2.95

-8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.38 A$3.34

-4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.50 A$2.10

-8.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.3

$28.07 A$39.42

53.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$17.96

$15.05 A$21.14

-15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.26

$4.44 A$6.23

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.04

$5.70 A$8.00

-37.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.60

$3.87 A$5.43

-33.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$72.4 A$102

39.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.23

$3.60 A$5.06

3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.01

$1.67 A$2.34

-14.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$58.8

$43.59 A$61.2

-3.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.88

$1.28 A$1.80

4.69%

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

$28.0K A$39.4K

$27.1K A$38.1K

3.26%

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

$30.3K A$42.5K

$28.3K A$39.8K

6.98%

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

$205 A$288

$188 A$264

8.86%

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

$34.01 A$47.76

$27.50 A$38.62

23.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$88.8

$56.7 A$79.6

11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.3

$144 A$202

-60.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.19

$23.34 A$32.77

-4.84%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.50

$13.16 A$18.48

37.99%

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

$2,378 A$3,339

$2,200 A$3,089

8.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.3K

$21.1K A$29.7K

12.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$107

$63.3 A$88.8

20.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$94.6

$43.12 A$60.6

56.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$98.3 A$138

23.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$209

$113 A$159

32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,725

$1,154 A$1,621

68.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,321

$912 A$1,280

81.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,004

$1,993 A$2,799

43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,167

$1,414 A$1,985

59.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,513

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$5,994

$4,869 A$6,838

-12.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.95

-0.50%

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Albury: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,154 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Perth vs $93.0 in Albury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $379 per month, with Perth 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

Perth vs Albury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Albury. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,941 in Perth versus $1,154 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Albury – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $87.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,266 in Albury versus $3,096 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albury but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Albury 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, Perth and Albury 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 Albury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.