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: $2,344 in Perth versus $2,053 in Forster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,449 in Perth versus $3,083 in Forster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in Perth versus $4,113 in Forster.

Living in Perth is roughly 14% more expensive than in Forster, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Forster 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.77

$16.45 A$23.34

-2.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 A$110

-0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 A$15.01

$7.93 A$11.25

33.42%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.15

$3.42 A$4.85

6.14%

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

$2.48 A$3.52

$2.56 A$3.63

-3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.80

$1.92 A$2.72

2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 A$10.74

$6.66 A$9.45

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 A$9.24

$5.09 A$7.23

27.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.08

$1.03 A$1.46

42.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.37

$2.66 A$3.78

-10.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.76

$2.34 A$3.31

-16.67%

Eggs

$4.45 A$6.31

$2.88 A$4.08

54.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.25

$8.77 A$12.45

-1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 A$11.73

$6.45 A$9.14

28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.87

$14.29 A$20.28

-2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$5.03

$2.98 A$4.23

19.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.17

$1.93 A$2.74

52.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.00

$1.90 A$2.70

48.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 A$6.48

$4.36 A$6.18

4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.42

$1.66 A$2.35

45.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.46

$0.99 A$1.41

74.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 A$2.73

$1.99 A$2.82

-3.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 A$2.06

$1.23 A$1.75

17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.08 A$45.52

$31.92 A$45.29

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 A$19.05

$14.09 A$19.99

-4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 A$5.60

$4.88 A$6.92

-19.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 A$5.98

$5.49 A$7.80

-23.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 A$4.32

$2.62 A$3.72

16.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 A$103

$65.8 A$93.3

9.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 A$5.73

$3.98 A$5.65

1.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 A$3.05

$1.54 A$2.18

39.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.61 A$70.4

$52.1 A$73.9

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.60

$1.15 A$1.63

-2.61%

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

$28.3K A$40.2K

$29.1K A$41.2K

-2.46%

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

$23.9K A$33.9K

$22.2K A$31.5K

7.71%

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

$158 A$225

$64.8 A$91.9

144.32%

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

$28.01 A$39.74

$24.35 A$34.55

15.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 A$77.2

$52.6 A$74.6

3.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.05 A$58.3

$48.47 A$68.8

-15.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 A$22.64

$15.76 A$22.36

1.27%

Cinema Ticket

$16.15 A$22.92

$12.35 A$17.52

30.77%

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

$1,797 A$2,550

$325 A$461

453.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.1K

$3,938 A$5,588

205.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 A$97.9

$65.4 A$92.8

5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 A$68.1

$58.7 A$83.3

-18.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$143

$96.7 A$137

4.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$132 A$187

-18.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 A$2,130

$1,255 A$1,781

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 A$1,605

$1,073 A$1,522

5.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 A$3,538

$1,997 A$2,833

24.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 A$2,570

$1,649 A$2,340

9.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,461 A$12.0K

$6,391 A$9,068

32.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,611 A$7,962

$5,257 A$7,459

6.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,318 A$6,127

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Forster: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,501 in Perth and $1,255 in Forster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Perth vs $77.0 in Forster. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 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 14% in total monthly costs ($2,344 vs $2,053 including rent). Forster is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,515 in Perth and $3,079 in Forster 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: $1,501 in Perth versus $1,255 in Forster. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,797 in Perth versus $325 in Forster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,053 in Forster versus $2,344 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 14% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.