Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlton and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlton and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,323 in Carlton versus $3,096 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,397 in Carlton versus $4,187 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,472 in Carlton versus $5,277 in Perth.

Living in Carlton costs roughly 25% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Carlton 70% above, Perth 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 A$25.34

$20.79 A$29.32

-13.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 A$102

$86.6 A$122

-16.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 A$14.69

$10.62 A$14.98

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$3.08 A$4.34

$4.58 A$6.46

-32.75%

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

$2.64 A$3.73

$2.96 A$4.17

-10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 A$3.07

$2.31 A$3.26

-5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 A$9.72

$8.67 A$12.23

-20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 A$9.36

$8.69 A$12.25

-23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.85

$1.76 A$2.48

-25.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 A$2.88

$3.01 A$4.25

-32.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 A$1.97

$2.11 A$2.98

-34.12%

Eggs

$3.39 A$4.78

$5.23 A$7.37

-35.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 A$15.42

$9.07 A$12.80

20.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 A$13.63

$9.19 A$12.96

5.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 A$21.83

$14.32 A$20.20

8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 A$4.73

$4.73 A$6.67

-29.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.99

$3.32 A$4.68

-14.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 A$4.65

$3.50 A$4.93

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.70

$5.12 A$7.23

-7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.90 A$4.10

-14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 A$3.13

$1.92 A$2.71

15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 A$3.14

$2.28 A$3.21

-2.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 A$1.23

$1.37 A$1.93

-36.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.25 A$35.61

$42.95 A$60.6

-41.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 A$15.01

$12.79 A$18.04

-16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.81

$4.46 A$6.29

24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 A$7.49

$3.59 A$5.07

47.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 A$4.59

$2.56 A$3.61

26.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 A$119

$101 A$142

-16.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 A$5.17

$3.72 A$5.25

-1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 A$1.79

$1.43 A$2.02

-11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 A$38.60

$41.88 A$59.1

-34.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 A$1.96

$1.34 A$1.89

3.73%

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

$18.2K A$25.7K

$28.0K A$39.5K

-35.07%

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

$14.3K A$20.2K

$30.3K A$42.7K

-52.66%

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

$94.9 A$134

$205 A$289

-53.67%

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

$28.80 A$40.62

$34.01 A$47.96

-15.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.15 A$66.5

$63.2 A$89.2

-25.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.89 A$44.97

$56.5 A$79.6

-43.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 A$26.23

$22.21 A$31.33

-16.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.32 A$18.78

$18.16 A$25.61

-26.65%

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

$2,163 A$3,050

$2,378 A$3,354

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.5K

$23.7K A$33.5K

-44.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 A$114

$76.3 A$108

6.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 A$73.9

$67.4 A$95.1

-22.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 A$103

$121 A$170

-39.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$149 A$210

-9.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 A$2,052

$1,941 A$2,737

-25.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 A$1,798

$1,653 A$2,331

-22.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 A$3,212

$2,851 A$4,021

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 A$2,604

$2,256 A$3,181

-18.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,371 A$8,985

$8,414 A$11.9K

-24.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,980 A$7,023

$6,063 A$8,550

-17.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,844 A$8,242

$4,268 A$6,020

36.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.92

-0.84%

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

Last update for Carlton: September 14, 2026

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,455 in Carlton and $1,941 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlton pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Carlton vs $87.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $370 per month, with Carlton 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

Carlton vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carlton and Perth differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($2,323 vs $3,096 including rent). Carlton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Carlton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,455 in Carlton versus $1,941 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,163 in Carlton versus $2,378 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Carlton 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, Carlton 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 Carlton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.