Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Albany and Perth

For one person, living is cheaper in Albany: $2,486 a month against $3,019 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Albany
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Albany Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Perth
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Perth Living Index

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Albany

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,486

/mo nomad

Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,019

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Albany and in Perth

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Albany and in Perth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,486 in Albany versus $3,019 in Perth.

Albany $2,486
Perth $3,019

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,609 in Albany versus $4,128 in Perth.

Albany $3,609
Perth $4,128

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,732 in Albany versus $5,236 in Perth.

Albany $4,732
Perth $5,236

Living in Albany costs roughly 18% less than in Perth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albany 84% above, Perth 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.51 A$28.07

$20.10 A$28.92

-2.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 A$122

$83.4 A$120

1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 A$14.54

$10.54 A$15.17

-4.08%

Cappuccino

$4.33 A$6.22

$4.37 A$6.28

-0.92%

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

$2.49 A$3.58

$2.82 A$4.06

-11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 A$2.92

$2.25 A$3.23

-9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.50 A$12.24

$8.30 A$11.94

2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 A$10.87

$8.38 A$12.05

-9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.23

$1.78 A$2.56

-12.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 A$3.88

$3.16 A$4.54

-14.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 A$3.08

$1.97 A$2.84

8.63%

Eggs

$5.19 A$7.47

$5.22 A$7.51

-0.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 A$15.05

$9.35 A$13.45

11.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 A$13.41

$9.18 A$13.21

1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 A$18.18

$14.08 A$20.26

-10.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.85

$4.59 A$6.61

-11.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.51

$3.24 A$4.67

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 A$5.39

$3.32 A$4.78

12.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 A$6.52

$4.94 A$7.11

-8.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.90

$2.92 A$4.20

-7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.38

$1.91 A$2.75

23.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.05

$2.32 A$3.34

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 A$1.99

$1.36 A$1.96

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.14 A$60.6

$41.10 A$59.1

2.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.68 A$21.13

$12.68 A$18.24

15.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.44 A$6.40

$4.32 A$6.22

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 A$8.53

$3.38 A$4.86

75.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.25

$2.48 A$3.56

18.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 A$115

$96.5 A$139

-17.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 A$4.29

$3.51 A$5.05

-15.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 A$2.24

$1.38 A$1.98

13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.56 A$51.2

$41.16 A$59.2

-13.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.71

$1.40 A$2.02

-15.00%

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

$25.6K A$36.9K

$26.8K A$38.5K

-4.30%

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

$33.5K A$48.1K

$29.9K A$43.0K

12.00%

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

$202 A$290

$196 A$282

2.85%

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

$27.79 A$39.99

$33.08 A$47.60

-15.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.77 A$70.2

$62.1 A$89.3

-21.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 A$76.9

$58.2 A$83.7

-8.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 A$25.03

$21.48 A$30.91

-19.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 A$21.43

$17.57 A$25.29

-15.20%

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

$2,234 A$3,215

$2,323 A$3,342

-3.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K A$29.3K

$22.9K A$32.9K

-10.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 A$112

$76.8 A$110

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$72.5

$65.8 A$94.7

-23.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 A$167

$120 A$173

-3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$162 A$233

-31.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 A$1,718

$1,938 A$2,789

-38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 A$1,701

$1,637 A$2,356

-27.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 A$3,139

$2,740 A$3,943

-20.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 A$2,574

$2,134 A$3,070

-16.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,564 A$8,006

$8,328 A$12.0K

-33.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,761 A$6,851

$6,152 A$8,852

-22.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,598 A$3,738

$4,288 A$6,171

-39.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.91

-1.18%

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

Last update for Albany: October 11, 2026

Last update for Perth: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Albany

$1.2K 47.6%

Perth

$1.6K 54.2% 38.5% $455

Groceries & Markets

Albany

$366 14.7%

Perth

$367 12.1% 0.2% $0.8

Eating Out

Albany

$314 12.6%

Perth

$323 10.7% 3% $9.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Albany

$278 11.2%

Perth

$291 9.6% 4.7% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Albany

$160 6.4%

Perth

$191 6.3% 19.4% $31

Getting Around

Albany

$102 4.1%

Perth

$117 3.9% 14.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Albany

$83 3.4%

Perth

$93 3.1% 12.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,194 in Albany and $1,938 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 65% 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: $85.0 in Albany vs $83.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $366 vs $367, with Albany cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Albany

🇦🇺 Perth

🕒 Local time

14:55 2:55 PM

Same time as Albany

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,128

2,043,762

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Albany Perth 390 km

From you

Albany
Perth

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Albany vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albany wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albany the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 65% 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: $1,194 in Albany versus $1,938 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,486 per month in Albany versus $3,019 in Perth – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Albany runs roughly 21% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,486 in Albany versus $3,019 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albany but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Albany 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, Albany 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 Albany gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.