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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,310 per month in Perth vs $2,391 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Perth vs $3,406 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,402 per month in Perth vs $4,421 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Perth is about 3% cheaper than Maroochydore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Maroochydore sit above the global median – Perth by 73%, Maroochydore by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$13.17 A$18.44

25.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$99.3 A$139

-22.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$8.74 A$12.24

20.82%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.42 A$4.79

6.43%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.42 A$3.39

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

$1.64 A$2.30

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$3.93 A$5.50

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$7.03 A$9.85

-8.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.48 A$2.07

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.55 A$3.57

-8.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$2.32 A$3.24

-13.36%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$4.39 A$6.15

2.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$6.46 A$9.05

29.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$6.99 A$9.79

17.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$7.97 A$11.16

74.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$3.66 A$5.13

-3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$2.62 A$3.66

11.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$2.46 A$3.44

15.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$3.59 A$5.03

32.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.13 A$2.98

16.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$1.95 A$2.73

-11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$1.99 A$2.78

-3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$2.48 A$3.47

-41.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$23.07 A$32.30

40.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$10.74 A$15.03

2.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$5.59 A$7.83

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$5.38 A$7.54

-24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$1.49 A$2.09

96.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$64.3 A$90.1

10.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$1.90 A$2.66

109.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.37 A$1.92

61.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$33.43 A$46.80

50.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.14 A$1.60

1.75%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$27.8K A$38.9K

2.70%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$21.9K A$30.7K

10.77%

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

$154 A$215

$220 A$308

-30.11%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$29.77 A$41.68

-7.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$39.09 A$54.7

5.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.54 A$21.75

1.48%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$12.42 A$17.38

31.88%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$2,171 A$3,039

-17.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$7,104 A$9,946

72.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$61.9 A$86.7

13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$47.19 A$66.1

3.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$89.6 A$125

14.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$125 A$175

-16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,212 A$1,696

26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,224 A$1,714

-5.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$1,920 A$2,688

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,934 A$2,708

-7.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$6,316 A$8,843

2.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$6,346 A$8,884

-22.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

$2,884 A$4,038

51.84%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Maroochydore: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,527 in Perth versus $1,212 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 52% 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 $99.0 in Maroochydore. Groceries tell a different story – $328 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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,310 in Perth, $2,391 in Maroochydore – roughly 3% apart. Maroochydore costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,466 per month in Perth and $3,586 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 11% less in Perth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,790 per month in Perth and $2,171 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 $2,310, than in Maroochydore at $2,391. 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.