Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Bendigo Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Bendigo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,097 per month in Perth vs $2,094 in Bendigo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,250 per month in Perth vs $3,091 in Bendigo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,404 per month in Perth vs $4,088 in Bendigo, rent included.

Perth costs about 48% more than Bendigo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Perth and Bendigo sit above the global median – Perth by 125%, Bendigo by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.52 A$28.61

$17.77 A$24.77

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 A$119

$78.9 A$110

7.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 A$15.04

$12.33 A$17.19

-12.57%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.16 A$5.80

7.69%

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

$2.91 A$4.06

$3.29 A$4.58

-11.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.61 A$3.64

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 A$12.03

$10.21 A$14.23

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 A$12.10

$8.56 A$11.93

1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$1.33 A$1.85

30.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.12 A$4.35

3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.95

$3.04 A$4.24

-30.26%

Eggs

$5.47 A$7.63

$4.95 A$6.90

10.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 A$13.29

$10.91 A$15.22

-12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$9.90 A$13.80

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 A$20.03

$10.66 A$14.87

34.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.50 A$4.89

37.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.22 A$4.50

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.51 A$4.90

1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.39

$5.00 A$6.96

6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.83 A$3.94

6.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$2.66 A$3.71

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.55 A$3.56

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.89

$1.64 A$2.29

-17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.56 A$60.7

$46.94 A$65.5

-7.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 A$18.43

$10.81 A$15.07

22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.39

$5.58 A$7.77

-17.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.90

$5.26 A$7.34

-33.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.56

$3.64 A$5.08

-29.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 A$143

$58.8 A$82.0

74.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.26

$4.43 A$6.17

-14.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.42 A$1.98

6.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 A$59.1

$14.28 A$19.92

196.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.28 A$1.78

5.47%

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

$28.8K A$40.2K

$27.9K A$38.8K

3.45%

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

$31.2K A$43.5K

$20.4K A$28.5K

52.59%

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

$207 A$289

$142 A$197

46.26%

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

$34.58 A$48.21

$29.27 A$40.80

18.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 A$87.6

$57.3 A$79.9

9.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 A$78.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.54 A$31.43

$19.96 A$27.83

12.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 A$24.96

$12.91 A$18.00

38.73%

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

$2,360 A$3,290

$2,223 A$3,099

6.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.0K

$32.0K A$44.7K

-26.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 A$107

$83.8 A$117

-8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 A$92.5

$51.8 A$72.3

27.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$125 A$174

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 A$218

$139 A$194

12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,774

$1,134 A$1,582

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 A$2,278

$853 A$1,190

91.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 A$4,021

$1,386 A$1,932

108.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,185

$1,312 A$1,829

74.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,466 A$11.8K

$4,453 A$6,208

90.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 A$8,594

$3,986 A$5,558

54.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,375 A$6,100

$3,121 A$4,352

40.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.84

1.37%

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

Last update for Perth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bendigo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,989 in Perth versus $1,134 in Bendigo. 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 40% higher in Perth, 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 $85.0 in Perth versus $79.0 in Bendigo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $370 – making Bendigo 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

Perth vs Bendigo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perth is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,645 per month in Perth and $3,142 in Bendigo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Perth and $79.0 in Bendigo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,097 in Perth and $2,094 in Bendigo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bendigo, where all-in costs run around $2,094, than in Perth at $3,097. In Bendigo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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