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: $2,294 in Perth versus $1,814 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Perth versus $2,766 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Perth versus $3,717 in Albury.

Living in Perth is roughly 26% more expensive than Albury, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 71% above, Albury 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$22.93

$16.04 A$22.35

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$86.7 A$121

-9.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.76

$9.92 A$13.82

6.75%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.16

$3.48 A$4.85

6.32%

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

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.65 A$3.70

-6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.76

$2.35 A$3.27

-15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$10.94

$6.53 A$9.10

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.32

$6.44 A$8.97

3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.41 A$1.97

-0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.56 A$3.57

-3.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$1.78 A$2.49

10.11%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.31

$4.12 A$5.74

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.12

$8.06 A$11.23

7.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.92

$8.95 A$12.48

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.50

$11.62 A$16.19

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.78

$3.14 A$4.38

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$2.82 A$3.93

2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$3.07 A$4.28

-3.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.61

$4.88 A$6.80

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.34

$2.32 A$3.23

3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.47

$1.94 A$2.70

-8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.79

$2.12 A$2.95

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$1.35 A$1.88

12.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$44.78

$23.51 A$32.77

36.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.18

$14.85 A$20.70

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.46

$4.13 A$5.75

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.76

$5.63 A$7.85

-26.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.14

$2.54 A$3.53

16.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$66.0 A$91.9

9.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.59

$3.29 A$4.58

22.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.72 A$2.40

23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$67.9

$38.75 A$54.0

25.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.56

$1.14 A$1.58

-1.75%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$28.3K A$39.5K

1.36%

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

$24.1K A$33.6K

$22.9K A$31.9K

5.11%

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

$156 A$218

$221 A$308

-29.24%

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

$28.43 A$39.62

$29.26 A$40.78

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$78.7

$53.1 A$73.9

6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$57.7

$49.44 A$68.9

-16.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.64

$15.64 A$21.79

-0.70%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.62

$11.99 A$16.71

35.36%

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

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,771 A$2,468

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$13.4K A$18.7K

-12.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.0

$61.7 A$86.0

12.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.2

$39.77 A$55.4

23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$89.3 A$124

14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$101 A$140

4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,118

$810 A$1,128

87.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,582

$616 A$858

84.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,519

$1,311 A$1,827

92.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,522

$960 A$1,337

88.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,557

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,522

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,048

$3,682 A$5,131

17.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.29

2.07%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Albury: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Perth and $810 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $87.0 in Albury. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $334, with Albury cheaper for home cooking.

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 26% 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.

Perth pays 18% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,520 in Perth versus $810 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albury – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $78.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,814 in Albury versus $2,294 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 26% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.