Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Albury

For one person, living is cheaper in Albury: $2,261 a month against $3,080 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Perth, Australia
Albury, Australia
Perth
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,080
/mo nomad
Albury
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,261
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Albury

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Perth and in Albury actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,080 in Perth versus $2,261 in Albury.

  • Perth $3,080
  • Albury $2,261

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,194 in Perth versus $3,366 in Albury.

  • Perth $4,194
  • Albury $3,366

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Perth versus $4,472 in Albury.

  • Perth $5,309
  • Albury $4,472

Living in Perth is roughly 36% more expensive than in Albury, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth
Albury
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.45 A$30.63
$20.81 A$29.72
3.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.5 A$122
$89.3 A$128
-4.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 A$15.59
$10.45 A$14.92
4.50%
Cappuccino
$4.55 A$6.50
$4.19 A$5.99
8.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 A$3.98
$3.18 A$4.54
-12.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 A$3.23
$2.54 A$3.63
-11.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.31 A$11.87
$6.94 A$9.91
19.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.55 A$12.22
$7.00 A$10.00
22.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth
Albury
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 A$2.40
$1.55 A$2.21
8.39%
White Bread (500g)
$3.18 A$4.54
$3.26 A$4.66
-2.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 A$2.89
$2.63 A$3.75
-23.19%
Eggs
$5.28 A$7.55
$5.17 A$7.38
2.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 A$13.58
$8.44 A$12.06
12.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.21 A$13.15
$10.17 A$14.52
-9.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 A$19.99
$12.84 A$18.33
8.96%
Apples (1kg)
$4.60 A$6.57
$3.27 A$4.67
40.67%
Banana (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.50
$3.23 A$4.61
-2.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 A$5.03
$3.58 A$5.11
-1.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.84 A$6.92
$4.99 A$7.13
-3.01%
Potato (1kg)
$2.79 A$3.99
$3.14 A$4.49
-11.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 A$2.69
$2.06 A$2.95
-8.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 A$3.15
$2.35 A$3.35
-5.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 A$1.91
$1.35 A$1.93
-0.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$42.80 A$61.1
$27.61 A$39.44
55.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$18.06
$14.28 A$20.39
-11.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.35 A$6.22
$4.53 A$6.46
-3.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 A$4.81
$5.67 A$8.10
-40.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth
Albury
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.41 A$3.44
$3.91 A$5.58
-38.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.6 A$142
$73.5 A$105
35.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 A$5.12
$3.46 A$4.94
3.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 A$2.08
$1.57 A$2.24
-7.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.46 A$57.8
$42.36 A$60.5
-4.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 A$1.93
$1.37 A$1.96
-1.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K A$42.2K
$27.6K A$39.4K
7.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K A$40.2K
$26.0K A$37.2K
8.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
Albury
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$291
$183 A$261
11.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.62 A$48.01
$26.96 A$38.50
24.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.8 A$92.6
$54.8 A$78.3
18.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth
Albury
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 A$77.1
$141 A$201
-61.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.16 A$30.21
$22.40 A$31.99
-5.54%
Cinema Ticket
$17.29 A$24.69
$12.86 A$18.37
34.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth
Albury
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,300 A$3,284
$2,188 A$3,125
5.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K A$33.0K
$20.2K A$28.9K
14.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth
Albury
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 A$111
$62.1 A$88.7
24.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 A$91.0
$41.28 A$59.0
54.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$173
$97.9 A$140
23.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 A$237
$108 A$154
53.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth
Albury
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,006 A$2,864
$1,121 A$1,600
78.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 A$2,390
$899 A$1,284
86.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,819 A$4,026
$1,914 A$2,733
47.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,156 A$3,079
$1,375 A$1,964
56.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,504 A$12.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,037 A$8,622
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth
Albury
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,224 A$6,032
$4,729 A$6,753
-10.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.96
5.95
0.17%

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

Last update for Perth: October 25, 2026

Last update for Albury: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Perth
$1.7K
Albury
$899 46.3% $774
Groceries & Markets
Perth
$365
Albury
$371 1.4% $5.3
Eating Out
Perth
$338
Albury
$320 5.4% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
$302
Albury
$265 12.4% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Perth
$193
Albury
$139 27.8% $53
Getting Around
Perth
$120
Albury
$100 16.4% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Perth
$89
Albury
$167 88.3% $78

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,006 in Perth and $1,121 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Albury pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86 in Perth vs $89 in Albury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $371 per month, with Perth cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Perth
🇦🇺 Albury
🕒 Local time
18:37 6:37 PM
21:37 9:37 PM
3 h ahead of Perth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,043,762
5,323
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Perth Albury 2,890 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Perth
  • Albury

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Perth or Albury?
Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 27% 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.
Are salaries higher in Perth or in Albury?
On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Perth. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Perth compared to Albury?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,006 in Perth versus $1,121 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Perth and in Albury?
Childcare runs $2,300 in Perth versus $2,188 in Albury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Perth and in Albury?
Dining out is cheaper in Perth – a meal for two runs $86 versus $89 in Albury. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Perth or in Albury?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Albury is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Perth or Albury?
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.
How safe is Perth compared to Albury?
Safety-wise, Perth and Albury are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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