Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballarat and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballarat and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,676 in Ballarat versus $2,351 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,749 in Ballarat versus $3,434 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,823 in Ballarat versus $4,517 in Perth.

Living in Ballarat costs roughly 29% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ballarat 25% above, Perth 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.18 A$20.29

$16.37 A$23.44

-13.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 A$92.0

$77.6 A$111

-17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.94

$10.26 A$14.69

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$3.55 A$5.09

$3.77 A$5.39

-5.84%

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

$2.53 A$3.62

$2.50 A$3.58

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 A$2.89

$1.98 A$2.84

2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 A$8.63

$7.77 A$11.13

-22.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 A$10.03

$6.53 A$9.35

7.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.46 A$2.10

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 A$3.68

$2.37 A$3.39

8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 A$2.21

$1.97 A$2.82

-21.83%

Eggs

$4.27 A$6.12

$4.40 A$6.31

-2.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 A$12.62

$8.42 A$12.06

4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 A$13.56

$8.57 A$12.27

10.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.83

$13.74 A$19.67

5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.67

$3.42 A$4.90

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.94 A$4.21

-4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.13

$2.82 A$4.04

2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 A$5.56

$4.75 A$6.80

-18.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 A$3.85

$2.51 A$3.60

7.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.33

$1.79 A$2.57

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.13

$2.00 A$2.87

9.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 A$1.49

$1.52 A$2.17

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.14 A$44.58

$31.35 A$44.88

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 A$19.95

$13.07 A$18.71

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.07

$3.77 A$5.40

-43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 A$4.15

$4.09 A$5.85

-29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 A$2.45

$2.94 A$4.22

-41.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 A$92.6

$71.6 A$102

-9.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 A$3.33

$3.98 A$5.70

-41.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 A$1.65

$2.12 A$3.03

-45.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 A$35.67

$49.35 A$70.7

-49.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.64

$1.16 A$1.66

-1.72%

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

$27.8K A$39.8K

$29.2K A$41.7K

-4.69%

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

$23.1K A$33.1K

$24.4K A$34.9K

-4.98%

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

$153 A$219

$155 A$222

-1.48%

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

$20.80 A$29.78

$28.24 A$40.42

-26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 A$71.8

$56.1 A$80.3

-10.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 A$46.26

$41.15 A$58.9

-21.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.46 A$22.14

$15.64 A$22.39

-1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 A$16.05

$16.38 A$23.45

-31.56%

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

$321 A$460

$1,799 A$2,575

-82.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.2K

$11.9K A$17.1K

59.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 A$94.2

$69.8 A$99.9

-5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 A$76.0

$48.14 A$68.9

10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 A$123

$104 A$150

-17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 A$130

$105 A$150

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 A$1,231

$1,474 A$2,110

-41.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 A$904

$1,172 A$1,677

-46.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 A$2,943

$2,576 A$3,688

-20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 A$1,918

$1,823 A$2,610

-26.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,630 A$6,629

$8,136 A$11.6K

-43.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,407 A$4,877

$5,659 A$8,103

-39.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,172 A$4,542

$4,306 A$6,165

-26.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

6.42

-5.45%

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

Last update for Ballarat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $860 in Ballarat and $1,474 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 36% 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: $64.0 in Ballarat vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $334 per month, with Ballarat 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

Ballarat vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballarat wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ballarat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 36% 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: $860 in Ballarat versus $1,474 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Ballarat versus $1,799 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,676 in Ballarat versus $2,351 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ballarat but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Ballarat 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, Ballarat 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 Ballarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.