Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Frankston Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Frankston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,310 per month in Perth vs $2,104 in Frankston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Perth vs $3,029 in Frankston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,402 per month in Perth vs $3,954 in Frankston, rent included.

Perth costs about 10% more than Frankston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Frankston sit above the global median – Perth by 73%, Frankston by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$11.85 A$16.59

39.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$78.6 A$110

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$9.81 A$13.73

7.65%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$2.64 A$3.70

37.88%

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

$2.40 A$3.35

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$7.34 A$10.27

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$7.04 A$9.85

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.49 A$2.09

-1.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.37 A$3.32

-1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.90 A$2.67

5.79%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$3.53 A$4.94

27.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$8.72 A$12.21

-4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$9.15 A$12.81

-10.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$7.04 A$9.85

97.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$2.57 A$3.59

38.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$2.80 A$3.91

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$2.67 A$3.74

5.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$2.54 A$3.56

87.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.71 A$3.79

-8.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.31 A$3.24

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$2.12 A$2.97

-9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.27 A$1.77

14.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$32.50 A$45.51

-0.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$6.65 A$9.31

64.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$2.93 A$4.11

32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$3.88 A$5.43

4.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$3.29 A$4.61

-10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$64.2 A$89.8

11.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$3.60 A$5.04

10.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.40 A$1.96

57.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$26.58 A$37.21

89.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.09 A$1.52

6.42%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$28.7K A$40.2K

-0.48%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$23.2K A$32.5K

4.81%

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

$154 A$215

$154 A$216

-0.14%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$9.77 A$13.68

182.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$50.2 A$70.3

10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$48.75 A$68.3

-15.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.46 A$21.64

2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$15.99 A$22.39

2.44%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$1,725 A$2,414

3.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$19.2K A$26.8K

-36.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$66.8 A$93.5

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$54.4 A$76.1

-10.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$80.9 A$113

26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$45.25 A$63.4

131.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,263 A$1,768

20.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,085 A$1,519

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$2,048 A$2,867

21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,650 A$2,310

8.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$5,604 A$7,846

15.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$5,591 A$7,827

-12.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

$4,486 A$6,281

-2.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.19

3.72%

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

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Last update for Frankston: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,527 in Perth versus $1,263 in Frankston. 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 2% higher in Frankston, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Perth versus $79.0 in Frankston. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Perth vs $279 in Frankston – so Frankston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Frankston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perth is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,466 per month in Perth and $3,156 in Frankston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% more in Perth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Perth and $79.0 in Frankston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Frankston, where all-in costs run around $2,104, than in Perth at $2,310. In Frankston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Frankston – 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 Frankston. 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.