Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Maroochydore Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Maroochydore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,311 per month in Perth vs $2,332 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,428 per month in Perth vs $3,416 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,545 per month in Perth vs $4,501 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Perth is about 1% cheaper than Maroochydore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Maroochydore sit above the global median – Perth by 72%, Maroochydore by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 A$22.71

$13.31 A$18.81

20.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 A$109

$96.0 A$136

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 A$14.76

$8.43 A$11.91

23.96%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.26

$3.42 A$4.84

8.77%

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

$2.45 A$3.47

$2.43 A$3.43

0.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.80

$1.65 A$2.33

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 A$10.76

$3.87 A$5.47

96.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 A$9.41

$7.29 A$10.30

-8.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.04

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.41

$2.57 A$3.62

-6.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.73

$2.31 A$3.26

-16.02%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.22

$4.38 A$6.19

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 A$11.96

$6.69 A$9.45

26.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 A$11.53

$7.17 A$10.13

13.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 A$19.44

$8.09 A$11.43

70.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 A$4.91

$3.66 A$5.18

-5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.15

$2.66 A$3.76

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.13

$2.40 A$3.39

21.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 A$6.51

$3.56 A$5.03

29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.59

$2.15 A$3.04

18.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 A$2.54

$2.02 A$2.85

-10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 A$2.85

$1.90 A$2.69

5.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.06

$2.43 A$3.44

-39.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.72 A$44.82

$22.68 A$32.04

39.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 A$18.06

$10.45 A$14.76

22.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.32

$5.38 A$7.60

-29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 A$5.96

$5.43 A$7.68

-22.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.15

$1.47 A$2.08

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 A$100

$66.2 A$93.6

7.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 A$5.65

$1.86 A$2.62

115.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 A$3.03

$1.38 A$1.95

55.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.61 A$70.1

$33.07 A$46.72

50.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.59

$1.18 A$1.67

-4.24%

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

$29.2K A$41.3K

$26.8K A$37.9K

8.86%

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

$24.0K A$34.0K

$22.3K A$31.5K

7.98%

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

$159 A$225

$218 A$308

-27.04%

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

$27.87 A$39.38

$28.90 A$40.84

-3.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$78.6

$54.5 A$77.0

2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.11 A$59.5

$38.25 A$54.0

10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 A$22.51

$15.59 A$22.03

2.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.15 A$22.83

$12.29 A$17.36

31.41%

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

$1,797 A$2,540

$2,126 A$3,004

-15.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.0K

$7,045 A$9,954

70.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$101

$61.0 A$86.2

17.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 A$67.8

$48.88 A$69.1

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$144

$89.8 A$127

13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$122 A$172

-13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 A$2,116

$1,249 A$1,764

19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 A$1,660

$1,220 A$1,724

-3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 A$3,642

$1,936 A$2,736

33.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 A$2,585

$1,947 A$2,751

-6.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,927 A$9,788

$6,248 A$8,828

10.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,311 A$7,505

$6,178 A$8,728

-14.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 A$6,200

$2,839 A$4,012

54.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.54

-1.83%

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

Last update for Perth: June 9, 2026

Last update for Maroochydore: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,498 in Perth versus $1,249 in Maroochydore. 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 55% higher in Perth, 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 $96.0 in Maroochydore. Groceries tell a different story – $331 in Perth vs $315 in Maroochydore – so Maroochydore 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 Maroochydore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroochydore costs about 1% more than Perth, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,466 per month in Perth and $3,498 in Maroochydore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Perth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,797 per month in Perth and $2,126 in Maroochydore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Perth, where all-in costs run around $2,311, than in Maroochydore at $2,332. In Perth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maroochydore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perth – 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 Perth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maroochydore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.