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: $2,344 in Adelaide versus $2,351 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,408 in Adelaide versus $3,434 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,472 in Adelaide versus $4,517 in Perth.

Monthly costs are close between Adelaide and Perth; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Adelaide 75% above, Perth 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 A$23.72

$16.37 A$23.38

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.0 A$117

$77.6 A$111

5.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 A$14.00

$10.26 A$14.65

-4.48%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.76

$3.77 A$5.38

-11.67%

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

$2.56 A$3.65

$2.50 A$3.57

2.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.28

$1.98 A$2.83

16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.56 A$9.37

$7.77 A$11.10

-15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 A$11.29

$6.53 A$9.32

20.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.12

$1.46 A$2.09

1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.81

$2.37 A$3.38

12.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.87

$1.97 A$2.82

2.03%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.44

$4.40 A$6.29

2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 A$14.10

$8.42 A$12.03

17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.44 A$12.05

$8.57 A$12.24

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 A$20.46

$13.74 A$19.62

4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.03

$3.42 A$4.89

-17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.76

$2.94 A$4.20

-10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.28

$2.82 A$4.03

6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 A$5.60

$4.75 A$6.78

-17.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.79

$2.51 A$3.59

5.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 A$3.05

$1.79 A$2.56

18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 A$3.11

$2.00 A$2.86

9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 A$2.27

$1.52 A$2.17

4.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.05 A$41.48

$31.35 A$44.77

-7.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$19.94

$13.07 A$18.66

6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 A$6.26

$3.77 A$5.39

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.54

$4.09 A$5.84

29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 A$4.03

$2.94 A$4.21

-4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 A$106

$71.6 A$102

4.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 A$6.19

$3.98 A$5.69

8.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 A$2.68

$2.12 A$3.02

-11.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.82 A$61.1

$49.35 A$70.5

-13.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.69

$1.16 A$1.66

2.59%

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

$29.3K A$41.8K

$29.2K A$41.6K

0.47%

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

$25.7K A$36.7K

$24.4K A$34.8K

5.62%

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

$211 A$301

$155 A$221

35.85%

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

$25.72 A$36.73

$28.24 A$40.32

-8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$73.3

$56.1 A$80.1

-8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 A$52.7

$41.15 A$58.8

-10.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.07 A$11.52

$15.64 A$22.33

-48.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 A$20.09

$16.38 A$23.39

-14.10%

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

$1,038 A$1,483

$1,799 A$2,568

-42.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,486 A$10.7K

$11.9K A$17.0K

-37.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 A$100

$69.8 A$99.7

0.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 A$76.6

$48.14 A$68.7

11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$154

$104 A$149

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$147

$105 A$150

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 A$1,869

$1,474 A$2,104

-11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 A$1,550

$1,172 A$1,673

-7.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 A$2,911

$2,576 A$3,678

-20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 A$2,463

$1,823 A$2,604

-5.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,989 A$12.8K

$8,136 A$11.6K

10.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,127 A$8,750

$5,659 A$8,082

8.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,807 A$5,437

$4,306 A$6,149

-11.58%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,309 in Adelaide and $1,474 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 13% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $82.0 in Adelaide vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $334 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

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Perth. 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: $1,309 in Adelaide versus $1,474 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Adelaide runs roughly 4% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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

At $2,344 in Adelaide versus $2,351 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.

It comes down to priorities – Adelaide wins on affordability, Perth on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.