Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Mount Gambier Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Mount Gambier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,320 in Mount Gambier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,824 in Mount Gambier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $5,327 in Mount Gambier.

Living in Perth is roughly 33% more expensive than in Mount Gambier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Mount Gambier 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.32

$32.71 A$46.13

-36.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$123 A$173

-29.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.98

$10.86 A$15.32

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.46

$4.69 A$6.61

-2.35%

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

$2.96 A$4.17

$3.10 A$4.38

-4.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.26

$2.56 A$3.61

-9.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.23

$4.95 A$6.98

75.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.25

$6.46 A$9.11

34.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.48

$2.23 A$3.15

-21.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.25

$3.51 A$4.96

-14.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.98

$2.24 A$3.17

-5.80%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.37

$6.06 A$8.55

-13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.80

$9.23 A$13.02

-1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.96

$8.87 A$12.51

3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.20

$10.12 A$14.28

41.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.67

$3.30 A$4.65

43.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.68

$2.50 A$3.53

32.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$3.26 A$4.60

7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.23

$5.52 A$7.79

-7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.10

$3.20 A$4.51

-9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.71

$4.08 A$5.75

-52.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.21

$2.66 A$3.76

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.93

$1.57 A$2.21

-12.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.6

$32.39 A$45.68

32.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$18.04

$24.18 A$34.10

-47.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.29

$5.00 A$7.05

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.07

$5.61 A$7.92

-36.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.61

$3.03 A$4.28

-15.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$81.3 A$115

24.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.25

$3.63 A$5.11

2.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.02

$1.60 A$2.26

-10.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$59.1

$42.35 A$59.7

-1.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.89

$1.50 A$2.12

-10.67%

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

$28.0K A$39.5K

$28.0K A$39.4K

0.22%

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

$30.3K A$42.7K

$30.9K A$43.5K

-1.82%

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

$205 A$289

$304 A$428

-32.60%

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

$34.01 A$47.96

$46.87 A$66.1

-27.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$89.2

$63.1 A$89.0

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.6

$55.7 A$78.5

1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.33

$17.02 A$24.00

30.49%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.61

$11.37 A$16.04

59.72%

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

$2,378 A$3,354

$2,069 A$2,918

14.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.5K

$17.8K A$25.0K

33.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$108

$89.6 A$126

-14.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$95.1

$49.38 A$69.6

36.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$123 A$174

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

$113 A$159

32.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,737

$782 A$1,103

148.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,331

$704 A$993

134.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,021

$1,257 A$1,773

126.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,181

$1,705 A$2,405

32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.9K

$5,934 A$8,369

41.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,550

$5,227 A$7,372

15.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

$2,619 A$3,693

62.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

6.63

-10.71%

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mount Gambier: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $782 in Mount Gambier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 63% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $87.0 in Perth vs $123 in Mount Gambier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $397 per month, with Perth cheaper across the board.

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 Mount Gambier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Gambier wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mount Gambier the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 63% higher in Perth, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,941 in Perth versus $782 in Mount Gambier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,378 in Perth versus $2,069 in Mount Gambier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,320 in Mount Gambier versus $3,096 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Gambier but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Gambier the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Perth and Mount Gambier are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mount Gambier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.