The Fairfax regional newspapers survey was carried out at local supermarkets around Australia including Harvey, Mandurah, Busselton, Dubbo and Ballarat.

Bunbury beat its nearest competitor Maitland by less than one dollar.

Each newspaper priced a variety of everyday items including toiletries, fruit and vegetables, cereal and tea and coffee from their local supermarket.

Bunbury’s basket of 11 items cost $56.86 and was priced at Coles Centrepoint.

New South Wales’ Tamworth had the most expensive shopping basket ringing in at $72.80 for the same items.

A one kilo pack of washing powder of the same brand in Tamworth costs $3.09 more than it did in Bunbury.

Iceberg lettuce was Bunbury’s bargain buy at 95 cents compared to $3.98 in the Tasmanian cities of Launceston and Burnie.

Bunbury also had the cheapest coffee, apples and cracker biscuits.

In most cities apples, washing powder, margarine, nappies, soap and cereal were all similar in price.

When it comes to neighbouring areas Harvey was the third most expensive place to shop with a basket total of $63.38, Mandurah was fifth most expensive and Busselton was the third cheapest with a total of $58.62.

The average price for the 11 items was $61.92.

z See next week’s paper to see how Bunbury suburbs compare.