Retired Couple. Living comfortably in paid off house.

Food: $800/month

Utilities: Elec, gas, water, Rates, Phones, Maintenance: 1000/month.

Transport: 2 Cars (1 small, 1 big), public transport, taxis: $600/month.

Leisure and Entertainment: $1000/month

Insurance: Home, cars, life, health: $500/month

Personal Care: Medical, dental, Chemist, Optical, Clothes: $1000/month

Rent $210 per week 3br town house

utilities: $180 per 3 months for electricity, $40 per month phone, $100 per 3months for gas.

Petrol is $1.10-1.40 per liter.

Private health insurance is $50 per fortnight.

Food varies usually around $80 to $100 per week but i eat well. If i eat out it doubles as a foot long sub costs $9. Most pub meals are around $15 foe a basic steak meal.

Running a car costs $180 per 3 months for registration and it costs me around $90 to get around for the week.

PER MONTH


Groceries ($150p/w) $650

Electricity $90

Phones $220

Car $150

Petrol $100

Presents $150

Clothes $200

Social ($150p/w) $650

Gas $40

Insurance $300

other $130

School / Activities $100

Mortgage $2,300

Health Care $200

House $200

Rates /Land Tax $140

Water $80

Weekly costs for a couple:

Rent (small, basic 2 b.r. flat 1 block back from Henley beach and half an hour from the city centre by bus) - $220 (and that's only because we've been here for 2 years. See realestate.com.au for more recent prices)
Food, household items - $200
Petrol - $30 (it's about $1.22 - $1.38 per litre)
Multitrip (10 trip bus/train/tram ticket) - $29 (I work in the city and catch the bus to work, my wife works in the suburbs and drives)
Electricity & gas - $20 (prepaid by us to utilities companies and we always come out ahead)

We don't have children, but childcare is approximately $70 per day.

Monthly costs:
Home phone - $30 (includes line rental and calls with Telstra prepaid)
Mobile phones - $30 per phone (prepaid credit)
Internet - $29 (postpaid for 3GB)
Health insurance - $74.50
Car registration - $126
Comprehensive car insurance - $66
Renters home contents insurance - $60
Podiatrist - $38.50 (for one visit after health insurance rebate)

Entertainment (all prices are for 2 people):
Entree, main and soft drink at a cafe or Asian eatery - $50
Double feature movie at the local RSL - $20
Normal priced movie tickets - $32
Cheap Tuesday movie tickets - $24

Per person:
DVD hire - $2.95 per film
1 hour massage - $60
Economist magazine - $11
Newspaper - $3
Investing magazine - about $7
Hair cut and colour (slices and main colour) - $160
Hair cut by a hairdresser - $40
Hair cut by a barber - $25
Regular sized take away coffee - $4.50
Lunch and 600mL soft drink at a food court - $13
Eyebrow wax - $10-$12
Paper back novel - $25-$35
C.D. - $25-$30
postage stamp (within australia) - $0.55 (soon to go up to $0.60)
Brokerage on online share trade - $30
Speeding ticket - $260 (for going 8kmph over the speed limit)
Cabaret show - $40