Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Toowoomba Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Toowoomba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,193 in Toowoomba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,039 in Toowoomba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $3,885 in Toowoomba.

Living in Perth is roughly 41% more expensive than in Toowoomba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Toowoomba 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.32

$16.90 A$23.83

23.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$76.2 A$107

13.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.98

$9.80 A$13.82

8.37%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.46

$3.71 A$5.23

23.45%

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

$2.96 A$4.17

$2.87 A$4.05

3.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.26

$2.40 A$3.39

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.23

$6.91 A$9.75

25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.25

$7.25 A$10.23

19.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.48

$1.66 A$2.34

6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.25

$2.32 A$3.28

29.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.98

$1.98 A$2.79

6.57%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.37

$4.62 A$6.52

13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.80

$9.07 A$12.79

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.96

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.20

$11.96 A$16.87

19.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.67

$3.10 A$4.37

52.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.68

$1.82 A$2.57

82.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$1.39 A$1.96

151.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.23

$2.18 A$3.08

134.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.10

$2.57 A$3.63

12.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.71

$2.37 A$3.34

-18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.21

$2.48 A$3.49

-8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.93

$1.00 A$1.41

37.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.6

$36.33 A$51.2

18.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$18.04

$14.43 A$20.35

-11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.29

$4.77 A$6.73

-6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.07

$6.92 A$9.76

-48.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.61

$3.10 A$4.38

-17.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.25

$2.24 A$3.17

66.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.02

$1.66 A$2.34

-13.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$59.1

$35.31 A$49.80

18.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.89

$1.24 A$1.75

8.06%

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

$28.0K A$39.5K

$27.1K A$38.2K

3.49%

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

$30.3K A$42.7K

$24.4K A$34.4K

24.31%

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

$205 A$289

$78.7 A$111

160.20%

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

$34.01 A$47.96

$30.99 A$43.70

9.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$89.2

$54.2 A$76.5

16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.6

$42.09 A$59.4

34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.33

$17.73 A$25.01

25.27%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.61

$14.01 A$19.76

29.62%

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

$2,378 A$3,354

$2,116 A$2,985

12.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.5K

$7,419 A$10.5K

220.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$108

$77.0 A$109

-0.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$95.1

$55.4 A$78.1

21.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$78.1 A$110

54.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

$123 A$173

21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,737

$1,253 A$1,767

54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,331

$1,130 A$1,594

46.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,021

$1,667 A$2,350

71.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,181

$1,431 A$2,018

57.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.9K

$3,425 A$4,830

145.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,550

$2,764 A$3,898

119.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

$4,001 A$5,642

6.68%

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 Toowoomba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,253 in Toowoomba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 7% 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 $76.0 in Toowoomba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $319 per month, with Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toowoomba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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 $1,253 in Toowoomba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,096 per month in Perth versus $2,193 in Toowoomba – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,193 in Toowoomba versus $3,096 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Toowoomba but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.