Fuel was usually within 15 cents of $1.30. In fact when we went through Canberra we paid more for fuel than we would until we were in the Southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia. At central Australian Roadhouses it was generally around $1.60 with the exception of on the Lasseter Highway to Uluru where it was over $1.80. We only twice paid $1.60. Overall for us it was not a big consideration.
Accommodation was good value in most places but gone are the days of good, cheap roadside motor-inns and motels. Some accommodation types don't allow children (dorms, back-packers at the rock) and genrally we paid the same amount ($80 - $120) and depending on where we were we either got average, good or great value for our money. Certainly in Alice Springs the choices were great and the prices very competitive.
Food and restaurants were mostly good quality but generally more expensive than in the South East of Australia. A notable exception was the BP in town at Bordertown, SA and whilst there were probably more, that one stood out. Erldunda roadhouse was good value and Threeways had a great menu (savoury mince for breakfast wins me over every time!).
Housing was the other thing we took note of as we travelled North. It amazes me that people need to pay $800,000 for a large family house in parts of our capital cities when in towns along the Murray Rv and in country NSW, Victoria and SA you can buy a similar house for as little as $145,000. I know wages and employment challenges exist in these towns but it does make me wonder what people could achieve through a location change.