Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Frankston

For one person, living is cheaper in Frankston: $2,438 a month against $3,080 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Perth, Australia
Frankston, Australia
Perth
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,080
/mo nomad
Frankston
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,438
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Frankston

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Perth and in Frankston actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,080 per month in Perth vs $2,438 in Frankston, rent included.

  • Perth $3,080
  • Frankston $2,438

A couple spends around $4,194 per month in Perth vs $3,403 in Frankston, rent included.

  • Perth $4,194
  • Frankston $3,403

A family of three spends $5,309 per month in Perth vs $4,369 in Frankston, rent included.

  • Perth $5,309
  • Frankston $4,369

Perth costs about 26% more than Frankston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Perth and Frankston sit above the global median – Perth by 126%, Frankston by 79%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.45 A$30.63
$15.24 A$21.76
40.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.5 A$122
$59.8 A$85.5
42.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 A$15.59
$10.72 A$15.31
1.87%
Cappuccino
$4.55 A$6.50
$2.74 A$3.92
66.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 A$3.98
$3.18 A$4.54
-12.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 A$3.23
$2.08 A$2.97
8.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.31 A$11.87
$10.03 A$14.32
-17.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.55 A$12.22
$6.81 A$9.72
25.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 A$2.40
$1.51 A$2.16
11.26%
White Bread (500g)
$3.18 A$4.54
$2.62 A$3.74
21.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 A$2.89
$2.06 A$2.94
-1.94%
Eggs
$5.28 A$7.55
$3.78 A$5.40
39.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 A$13.58
$10.62 A$15.17
-10.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.21 A$13.15
$9.57 A$13.67
-3.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 A$19.99
$7.80 A$11.13
79.36%
Apples (1kg)
$4.60 A$6.57
$2.67 A$3.82
72.28%
Banana (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.50
$3.16 A$4.51
-0.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 A$5.03
$2.76 A$3.94
27.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.84 A$6.92
$2.72 A$3.89
77.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.79 A$3.99
$3.04 A$4.34
-8.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 A$2.69
$2.60 A$3.71
-27.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 A$3.15
$2.41 A$3.45
-8.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 A$1.91
$1.38 A$1.96
-2.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$42.80 A$61.1
$42.80 A$61.1
-
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$18.06
$6.28 A$8.97
101.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.35 A$6.22
$3.25 A$4.64
33.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 A$4.81
$4.22 A$6.03
-20.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth
Frankston
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.41 A$3.44
$3.61 A$5.16
-33.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.6 A$142
$83.1 A$119
19.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 A$5.12
$4.44 A$6.34
-19.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 A$2.08
$1.44 A$2.05
1.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.46 A$57.8
$30.55 A$43.63
32.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 A$1.93
$1.15 A$1.65
17.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K A$42.2K
$29.7K A$42.4K
-0.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K A$40.2K
$26.3K A$37.6K
6.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$291
$228 A$326
-10.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.62 A$48.01
$10.68 A$15.26
214.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.8 A$92.6
$56.8 A$81.0
14.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 A$77.1
$57.0 A$81.4
-5.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.16 A$30.21
$17.67 A$25.24
19.75%
Cinema Ticket
$17.29 A$24.69
$17.47 A$24.95
-1.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,300 A$3,284
$2,450 A$3,499
-6.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K A$33.0K
$30.4K A$43.4K
-23.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 A$111
$79.9 A$114
-3.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 A$91.0
$51.2 A$73.2
24.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$173
$87.9 A$126
37.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 A$237
$48.59 A$69.4
240.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth
Frankston
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,006 A$2,864
$1,405 A$2,007
42.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 A$2,390
$1,247 A$1,780
34.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,819 A$4,026
$2,219 A$3,169
27.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,156 A$3,079
$1,841 A$2,629
17.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,504 A$12.1K
$5,812 A$8,300
46.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,037 A$8,622
$5,351 A$7,641
12.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth
Frankston
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,224 A$6,032
$4,360 A$6,227
-3.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.96
5.9
1.02%

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

Last update for Perth: October 25, 2026

Last update for Frankston: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Perth
$1.7K
Frankston
$1.2K 25.5% $426
Groceries & Markets
Perth
$365
Frankston
$302 17.2% $63
Eating Out
Perth
$338
Frankston
$272 19.6% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
$302
Frankston
$296 2.1% $6.3
Clothing & Footwear
Perth
$193
Frankston
$120 37.5% $72
Getting Around
Perth
$120
Frankston
$109 9.1% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Perth
$89
Frankston
$92 3.8% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,006 in Perth versus $1,405 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 3% 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 $86 in Perth versus $60 in Frankston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $302 – making Frankston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Perth
🇦🇺 Frankston
🕒 Local time
17:30 5:30 PM
20:30 8:30 PM
3 h ahead of Perth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,043,762
37,331
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Perth Frankston 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Perth
  • Frankston

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Frankston cheaper than Perth?
Yes – Perth is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,620 per month in Perth and $3,658 in Frankston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Frankston, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,405 there versus $2,006 in Perth.
How do food prices compare in Perth and in Frankston?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Perth, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Perth or in Frankston?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Perth and $60 in Frankston. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is it better to live in Perth or in Frankston?
It depends on your priorities. Perth has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,438 in Frankston to $3,080 in Perth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Perth or Frankston?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Frankston is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 21% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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