Cost of Living Comparison Between Busselton and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Busselton and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Busselton versus $3,096 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,791 in Busselton versus $4,187 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,949 in Busselton versus $5,277 in Perth.

Living in Busselton costs roughly 15% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busselton 92% above, Perth 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 A$25.53

$20.79 A$29.32

-12.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.3 A$123

$86.6 A$122

0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 A$14.91

$10.62 A$14.98

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.32

$4.58 A$6.46

-2.18%

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

$2.17 A$3.06

$2.96 A$4.17

-26.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 A$2.97

$2.31 A$3.26

-8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.64 A$12.19

$8.67 A$12.23

-0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 A$12.34

$8.69 A$12.25

0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 A$2.52

$1.76 A$2.48

1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 A$4.32

$3.01 A$4.25

1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.82

$2.11 A$2.98

-5.21%

Eggs

$5.32 A$7.51

$5.23 A$7.37

1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 A$13.12

$9.07 A$12.80

2.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.58

$9.19 A$12.96

4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 A$20.42

$14.32 A$20.20

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 A$6.42

$4.73 A$6.67

-3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.60

$3.32 A$4.68

-1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 A$5.03

$3.50 A$4.93

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 A$7.38

$5.12 A$7.23

2.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.10

$2.90 A$4.10

0.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.84

$1.92 A$2.71

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 A$3.37

$2.28 A$3.21

4.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 A$1.86

$1.37 A$1.93

-3.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.10 A$59.4

$42.95 A$60.6

-1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 A$18.45

$12.79 A$18.04

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.33 A$6.10

$4.46 A$6.29

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 A$5.10

$3.59 A$5.07

0.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 A$4.40

$2.56 A$3.61

21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.7 A$117

$101 A$142

-18.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.31

$3.72 A$5.25

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 A$2.01

$1.43 A$2.02

-0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 A$58.4

$41.88 A$59.1

-1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.90

$1.34 A$1.89

0.75%

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

$27.8K A$39.3K

$28.0K A$39.5K

-0.70%

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

$29.7K A$41.9K

$30.3K A$42.7K

-1.82%

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

$207 A$292

$205 A$289

1.21%

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

$34.28 A$48.34

$34.01 A$47.96

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.1 A$89.0

$63.2 A$89.2

-0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 A$74.5

$56.5 A$79.6

-6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.38 A$28.74

$22.21 A$31.33

-8.24%

Cinema Ticket

$17.67 A$24.91

$18.16 A$25.61

-2.70%

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

$2,360 A$3,328

$2,378 A$3,354

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K A$33.9K

$23.7K A$33.5K

1.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 A$106

$76.3 A$108

-1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.1 A$94.7

$67.4 A$95.1

-0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 A$174

$121 A$170

1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

-0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 A$1,905

$1,941 A$2,737

-30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 A$1,526

$1,653 A$2,331

-34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 A$2,701

$2,851 A$4,021

-32.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 A$2,765

$2,256 A$3,181

-13.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,654 A$9,384

$8,414 A$11.9K

-20.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,980 A$7,023

$6,063 A$8,550

-17.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

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

Last update for Busselton: September 14, 2026

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,351 in Busselton and $1,941 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $87.0 in Busselton vs $87.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $370, with Perth cheaper for home cooking.

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

Busselton vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busselton and Perth differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,632 vs $3,096 including rent). Busselton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,948 in Busselton and $4,644 in Perth to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,351 in Busselton versus $1,941 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,360 in Busselton versus $2,378 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Busselton is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Busselton 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 Busselton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.