Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Nowra NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Nowra NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,294 per month in Perth vs $2,194 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,344 per month in Perth vs $3,279 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Perth vs $4,363 in Nowra NSW, rent included.

Perth costs about 5% more than Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Nowra NSW sit above the global median – Perth by 71%, Nowra NSW by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$23.06

$16.14 A$22.62

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$110

$93.8 A$131

-16.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.84

$8.67 A$12.15

22.15%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.18

$3.38 A$4.73

9.47%

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

$2.48 A$3.48

$2.62 A$3.66

-5.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.78

$2.11 A$2.96

-6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$11.00

$6.36 A$8.92

23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.37

$6.40 A$8.97

4.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.97

$1.35 A$1.89

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.34 A$3.28

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.75

$2.12 A$2.97

-7.55%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.35

$3.76 A$5.27

20.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.19

$9.35 A$13.10

-6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.98

$7.66 A$10.74

11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.61

$14.14 A$19.81

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.81

$3.27 A$4.58

4.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.07

$2.72 A$3.81

6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.15

$2.69 A$3.77

10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.65

$3.81 A$5.34

24.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.36

$2.61 A$3.65

-8.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.48

$2.21 A$3.10

-19.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.81

$2.13 A$2.99

-6.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$1.08 A$1.51

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$45.02

$29.21 A$40.92

10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.28

$14.75 A$20.67

-11.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.49

$4.04 A$5.66

-2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.79

$3.18 A$4.46

29.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.17

$2.53 A$3.55

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$102

$65.1 A$91.2

11.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.63

$2.26 A$3.17

77.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.97

$1.73 A$2.43

22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$68.3

$37.33 A$52.3

30.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.57

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

$28.7K A$40.2K

$28.9K A$40.4K

-0.52%

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

$24.1K A$33.7K

$21.7K A$30.5K

10.76%

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

$156 A$219

$188 A$264

-17.02%

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

$28.43 A$39.84

$29.47 A$41.30

-3.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$79.2

$57.8 A$81.0

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$58.0

$49.26 A$69.0

-15.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.76

$15.41 A$21.59

0.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.75

$12.61 A$17.67

28.71%

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

$1,810 A$2,536

$896 A$1,255

102.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.5K

$11.9K A$16.6K

-0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.5

$77.2 A$108

-9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.6

$43.93 A$61.6

11.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$92.7 A$130

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$111 A$155

-4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,130

$1,271 A$1,781

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,590

$1,078 A$1,511

5.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,539

$2,018 A$2,828

25.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,536

$1,698 A$2,379

6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,610

$5,362 A$7,514

27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,564

$5,914 A$8,286

-8.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,082

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.75

-4.89%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,520 in Perth versus $1,271 in Nowra NSW. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Perth versus $94.0 in Nowra NSW. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Perth vs $321 in Nowra NSW – so Nowra NSW 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 Nowra NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,294 in Perth, $2,194 in Nowra NSW – roughly 5% apart. Perth costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,440 per month in Perth and $3,291 in Nowra NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,294 in Perth and $2,194 in Nowra NSW. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Nowra NSW. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nowra NSW, where all-in costs run around $2,194, than in Perth at $2,294. In Nowra NSW it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nowra NSW – 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 Nowra NSW. 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.