Cost of Living Comparison Between Adelaide and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Adelaide and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,269 in Adelaide versus $2,294 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,382 in Adelaide versus $3,344 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,496 in Adelaide versus $4,394 in Perth.

Living in Adelaide costs roughly 1% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Adelaide 69% above, Perth 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.99 A$23.82

$16.46 A$23.07

3.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 A$117

$78.3 A$110

6.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 A$13.38

$10.59 A$14.85

-9.92%

Cappuccino

$3.39 A$4.76

$3.70 A$5.19

-8.38%

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

$2.65 A$3.72

$2.48 A$3.48

6.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.23

$1.98 A$2.78

16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 A$9.26

$7.85 A$11.01

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 A$11.15

$6.69 A$9.38

18.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.07

$1.40 A$1.97

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.74

$2.46 A$3.45

8.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.96 A$2.75

2.55%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.32

$4.53 A$6.35

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 A$14.16

$8.70 A$12.19

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 A$11.67

$8.55 A$11.99

-2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 A$19.87

$14.00 A$19.62

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.84

$3.43 A$4.81

-20.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.74

$2.90 A$4.07

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.06

$2.96 A$4.15

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.59

$4.74 A$6.65

-16.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.73

$2.40 A$3.36

10.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.97

$1.77 A$2.48

19.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.13

$2.00 A$2.81

11.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.52 A$2.13

7.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.47 A$39.91

$32.13 A$45.05

-11.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 A$19.97

$13.05 A$18.29

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.29

$3.92 A$5.49

14.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 A$7.28

$4.13 A$5.79

25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.13

$2.97 A$4.17

-1.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 A$105

$72.5 A$102

3.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 A$5.87

$4.02 A$5.63

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.59

$2.12 A$2.97

-13.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.47 A$59.6

$48.71 A$68.3

-12.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.12 A$1.57

6.25%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

$28.7K A$40.2K

-0.78%

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

$25.8K A$36.2K

$24.1K A$33.8K

7.32%

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

$211 A$296

$156 A$219

35.26%

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

$25.92 A$36.33

$28.43 A$39.86

-8.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$72.1

$56.5 A$79.2

-8.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 A$52.3

$41.39 A$58.0

-9.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.81 A$10.95

$15.53 A$21.77

-49.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 A$19.64

$16.23 A$22.76

-13.68%

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

$1,029 A$1,443

$1,810 A$2,538

-43.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,258 A$10.2K

$11.8K A$16.5K

-38.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 A$96.3

$69.6 A$97.6

-1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 A$75.4

$48.93 A$68.6

9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$150

$102 A$144

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$143

$105 A$148

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 A$1,799

$1,520 A$2,131

-15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 A$1,541

$1,135 A$1,591

-3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 A$2,774

$2,526 A$3,541

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 A$2,375

$1,810 A$2,538

-6.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,479 A$13.3K

$6,858 A$9,615

38.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,290 A$8,818

$5,398 A$7,568

16.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,870 A$5,425

$4,340 A$6,085

-10.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.42

-0.16%

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

Last update for Adelaide: June 1, 2026

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Adelaide and $1,520 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 12% 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: $83.0 in Adelaide vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $336 per month, with Perth 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

Adelaide vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Adelaide and Perth differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,269 vs $2,294 including rent). Adelaide is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Perth earns 12% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,283 in Adelaide versus $1,520 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,029 in Adelaide versus $1,810 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,269 in Adelaide versus $2,294 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Adelaide but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Adelaide 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, Adelaide and Perth 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 Adelaide gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.