Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,310 in Perth versus $2,253 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in Perth versus $3,312 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Perth versus $4,370 in Forbes.

Living in Perth is roughly 3% more expensive than Forbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 73% above, Forbes 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$16.01 A$22.42

3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$9.55 A$13.37

10.58%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.38 A$4.74

7.69%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.61 A$3.66

-3.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

$2.17 A$3.04

-11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$6.52 A$9.13

18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$6.93 A$9.70

-6.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.42 A$1.98

3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.43 A$3.40

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.98 A$2.77

1.52%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$4.36 A$6.10

3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$8.64 A$12.10

-3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$8.62 A$12.06

-5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$13.74 A$19.24

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$3.24 A$4.53

9.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$2.81 A$3.93

3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$2.95 A$4.13

-4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$4.07 A$5.70

16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.39 A$3.34

4.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.10 A$2.94

-17.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$2.11 A$2.95

-9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.53 A$2.14

-4.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$31.13 A$43.59

4.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$13.48 A$18.87

-18.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$4.48 A$6.27

-13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$5.23 A$7.32

-22.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$2.62 A$3.67

11.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$64.1 A$89.7

11.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$3.54 A$4.95

12.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.53 A$2.15

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$33.24 A$46.54

51.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.13 A$1.58

2.65%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$28.6K A$40.1K

-0.17%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$22.3K A$31.2K

9.06%

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

$154 A$215

$186 A$260

-17.24%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$27.73 A$38.83

-0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$53.2 A$74.5

4.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$49.41 A$69.2

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.48 A$21.68

1.87%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$13.18 A$18.45

24.28%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$1,600 A$2,240

11.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$11.8K A$16.6K

3.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$67.9 A$95.0

3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$51.2 A$71.7

-4.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$98.0 A$137

4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$108 A$151

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,278 A$1,789

19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,070 A$1,499

8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$2,026 A$2,836

22.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,680 A$2,352

6.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$6,262 A$8,767

3.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$5,125 A$7,175

-4.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.34

1.26%

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

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Last update for Forbes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,527 in Perth and $1,278 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Perth vs $77.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $337 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Forbes differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,310 vs $2,253 including rent). Forbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,466 in Perth and $3,380 in Forbes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,527 in Perth versus $1,278 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,310 per month in Perth versus $2,253 in Forbes – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Forbes runs roughly 11% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,253 in Forbes versus $2,310 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Forbes but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Forbes 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 Forbes 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 Forbes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.