Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Canberra vs $2,294 in Perth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,566 per month in Canberra vs $3,344 in Perth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,650 per month in Canberra vs $4,394 in Perth, rent included.

Canberra costs about 8% more than Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Canberra and Perth sit above the global median – Canberra by 85%, Perth by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$16.46 A$22.93

-2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$78.3 A$109

10.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$10.59 A$14.76

-6.89%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$3.70 A$5.16

-9.19%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$2.48 A$3.46

4.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$1.98 A$2.76

17.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$7.85 A$10.94

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$6.69 A$9.32

12.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$1.40 A$1.96

1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.46 A$3.43

8.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$1.96 A$2.73

-5.61%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$4.53 A$6.31

-9.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$8.70 A$12.12

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$8.55 A$11.92

7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$14.00 A$19.50

6.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$3.43 A$4.78

-4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$2.90 A$4.05

-1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$2.96 A$4.13

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$4.74 A$6.61

2.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.40 A$3.34

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$1.77 A$2.47

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$2.00 A$2.79

19.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.52 A$2.11

-15.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$32.13 A$44.78

-5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$13.05 A$18.18

13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$3.92 A$5.46

30.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$4.13 A$5.76

47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$2.97 A$4.14

9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$72.5 A$101

66.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$4.02 A$5.59

1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$2.12 A$2.96

-18.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$48.71 A$67.9

-16.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.12 A$1.56

2.68%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

-0.00%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$24.1K A$33.6K

-6.01%

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

$222 A$310

$156 A$218

42.24%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$28.43 A$39.62

5.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$56.5 A$78.7

-7.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$41.39 A$57.7

44.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$15.53 A$21.64

33.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$16.23 A$22.62

-16.27%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$1,810 A$2,522

-2.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$11.8K A$16.4K

13.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$69.6 A$97.0

1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$48.93 A$68.2

15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$102 A$143

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$105 A$147

9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$1,520 A$2,118

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$1,135 A$1,582

0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$2,526 A$3,519

13.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$1,810 A$2,522

-3.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$6,858 A$9,557

31.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$5,398 A$7,522

12.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$4,340 A$6,048

6.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

6.42

-2.02%

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

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Canberra versus $1,520 in Perth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Canberra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Canberra versus $78.0 in Perth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $336 – making Perth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Canberra vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Canberra, $2,294 in Perth – roughly 8% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Canberra and $3,440 in Perth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Canberra and $2,294 in Perth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Perth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,482 in Canberra and $2,294 in Perth. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Perth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Perth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.