Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Forster Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Forster

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,310 in Perth versus $2,063 in Forster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in Perth versus $3,072 in Forster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Perth versus $4,081 in Forster.

Living in Perth is roughly 12% more expensive than Forster, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 73% above, Forster 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$16.50 A$23.10

0.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$77.6 A$109

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$7.97 A$11.16

32.50%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.39 A$4.75

7.37%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.48 A$3.48

2.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$6.62 A$9.27

16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$5.27 A$7.38

22.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$0.96 A$1.35

53.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.80 A$3.92

-16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$2.23 A$3.12

-9.87%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$3.01 A$4.21

49.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$8.56 A$11.98

-2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$6.33 A$8.86

29.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$14.31 A$20.03

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$2.87 A$4.01

23.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$1.91 A$2.67

52.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$1.99 A$2.79

42.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$4.48 A$6.27

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$1.59 A$2.22

56.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$1.02 A$1.42

69.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$1.98 A$2.77

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.24 A$1.73

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$32.32 A$45.24

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$14.55 A$20.37

-24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$4.63 A$6.49

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$5.51 A$7.71

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$2.57 A$3.60

14.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$63.9 A$89.4

11.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$3.92 A$5.48

1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.62 A$2.27

36.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$52.5 A$73.5

-4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.19 A$1.66

-2.52%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$29.1K A$40.8K

-1.95%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$22.9K A$32.0K

6.29%

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

$154 A$215

$64.9 A$90.9

137.00%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$24.01 A$33.62

14.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$53.2 A$74.5

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$48.93 A$68.5

-16.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.59 A$21.82

1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$12.51 A$17.51

30.94%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$330 A$462

442.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$3,828 A$5,359

220.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$65.0 A$91.0

8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$57.8 A$81.0

-15.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$96.9 A$136

5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$133 A$186

-21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,255 A$1,757

21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,058 A$1,481

9.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$1,989 A$2,785

25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,670 A$2,338

6.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$6,195 A$8,673

4.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$5,343 A$7,480

-8.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

$3,554 A$4,975

23.23%

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 Forster: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,527 in Perth and $1,255 in Forster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 23% 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: $77.0 in Perth vs $78.0 in Forster. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $308, with Forster 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 Forster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Forster differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,310 vs $2,063 including rent). Forster is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Perth pays 23% 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: $1,527 in Perth versus $1,255 in Forster. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,790 in Perth versus $330 in Forster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,063 in Forster versus $2,310 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Forster but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Forster 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 Forster 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 Forster gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.