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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,096 per month in Perth vs $2,410 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in Perth vs $3,666 in Maroochydore, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,277 per month in Perth vs $4,922 in Maroochydore, rent included.

Perth costs about 28% more than Maroochydore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Maroochydore sit above the global median – Perth by 126%, Maroochydore by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.32

$14.17 A$19.99

46.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$94.8 A$134

-8.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.98

$9.26 A$13.05

14.69%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.46

$3.98 A$5.62

15.08%

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

$2.96 A$4.17

$2.73 A$3.85

8.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.26

$2.08 A$2.94

11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.23

$4.34 A$6.12

99.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.25

$7.95 A$11.21

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.48

$1.64 A$2.31

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.25

$2.69 A$3.79

11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.98

$2.37 A$3.34

-10.97%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.37

$4.84 A$6.82

8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.80

$9.18 A$12.95

-1.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.96

$9.52 A$13.42

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.20

$15.19 A$21.42

-5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.67

$3.79 A$5.34

24.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.68

$3.11 A$4.38

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$2.73 A$3.85

28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.23

$3.83 A$5.40

33.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.10

$2.65 A$3.73

9.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.71

$2.24 A$3.16

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.21

$2.57 A$3.62

-11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.93

$2.46 A$3.46

-44.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.6

$25.22 A$35.57

70.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$18.04

$10.87 A$15.33

17.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.29

$5.91 A$8.34

-24.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.07

$6.04 A$8.52

-40.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.61

$0.68 A$0.96

276.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$78.2 A$110

29.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.25

$2.05 A$2.90

81.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.02

$1.50 A$2.12

-4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$59.1

$37.28 A$52.6

12.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.89

$1.30 A$1.83

3.08%

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

$28.0K A$39.5K

$27.4K A$38.6K

2.44%

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

$30.3K A$42.7K

$24.1K A$34.0K

25.64%

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

$205 A$289

$219 A$309

-6.63%

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

$34.01 A$47.96

$30.65 A$43.23

10.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$89.2

$55.1 A$77.7

14.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.6

$58.6 A$82.7

-3.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.33

$17.96 A$25.32

23.66%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.61

$13.60 A$19.18

33.53%

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

$2,378 A$3,354

$2,184 A$3,080

8.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.5K

$12.3K A$17.4K

92.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$108

$78.5 A$111

-2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$95.1

$55.4 A$78.1

21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$108 A$152

12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

$123 A$174

21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,737

$1,214 A$1,712

59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,331

$1,159 A$1,634

42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,021

$2,090 A$2,947

36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,181

$2,091 A$2,949

7.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.9K

$6,244 A$8,806

34.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,550

$6,324 A$8,919

-4.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

$2,884 A$4,067

48.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.73

3.32%

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Maroochydore: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,941 in Perth versus $1,214 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 48% higher in Perth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Perth versus $95.0 in Maroochydore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $376 – making Perth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $3,096 in Perth, $2,410 in Maroochydore – roughly 28% apart. Perth costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,644 per month in Perth and $3,616 in Maroochydore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 29% less in Maroochydore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,378 per month in Perth and $2,184 in Maroochydore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Maroochydore, where all-in costs run around $2,410, than in Perth at $3,096. In Maroochydore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maroochydore – 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 Maroochydore. 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.