Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,614 in Darwin versus $2,294 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Darwin versus $3,344 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,061 in Darwin versus $4,394 in Perth.

Living in Darwin is roughly 14% more expensive than Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Darwin 95% above, Perth 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 A$25.06

$16.46 A$22.93

9.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 A$113

$78.3 A$109

3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 A$17.48

$10.59 A$14.76

18.41%

Cappuccino

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.70 A$5.16

-5.95%

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

$2.66 A$3.70

$2.48 A$3.46

7.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 A$4.32

$1.98 A$2.76

56.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$7.85 A$10.94

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 A$10.96

$6.69 A$9.32

17.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.40 A$1.96

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 A$3.77

$2.46 A$3.43

9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.96 A$2.73

9.18%

Eggs

$4.09 A$5.71

$4.53 A$6.31

-9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 A$13.69

$8.70 A$12.12

12.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 A$11.53

$8.55 A$11.92

-3.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 A$11.95

$14.00 A$19.50

-38.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.43 A$4.78

4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.07

$2.90 A$4.05

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 A$4.98

$2.96 A$4.13

20.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 A$6.28

$4.74 A$6.61

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.28

$2.40 A$3.34

27.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.15

$1.77 A$2.47

27.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.01

$2.00 A$2.79

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 A$3.43

$1.52 A$2.11

61.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.12 A$35.01

$32.13 A$44.78

-21.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 A$16.76

$13.05 A$18.18

-7.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$9.35 A$13.03

$3.92 A$5.46

138.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.11

$4.13 A$5.76

75.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 A$3.11

$2.97 A$4.14

-24.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.83 A$63.9

$72.5 A$101

-36.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.83

$4.02 A$5.59

-13.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 A$1.66

$2.12 A$2.96

-43.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.63 A$63.6

$48.71 A$67.9

-6.32%

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)

$29.2K A$40.7K

$28.7K A$40.0K

1.67%

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

$32.5K A$45.3K

$24.1K A$33.6K

34.91%

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

$235 A$327

$156 A$218

50.28%

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

$35.29 A$49.18

$28.43 A$39.62

24.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 A$83.5

$56.5 A$78.7

6.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.5 A$104

$41.39 A$57.7

80.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 A$22.18

$15.53 A$21.64

2.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 A$21.66

$16.23 A$22.62

-4.25%

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

$1,544 A$2,152

$1,810 A$2,522

-14.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 A$11.0K

$11.8K A$16.4K

-33.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 A$110

$69.6 A$97.0

13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.72 A$63.7

$48.93 A$68.2

-6.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$140

$102 A$143

-1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$181

$105 A$147

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 A$2,238

$1,520 A$2,118

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 A$1,836

$1,135 A$1,582

16.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 A$3,880

$2,526 A$3,519

10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,232 A$3,111

$1,810 A$2,522

23.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 A$5,459

$6,858 A$9,557

-42.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 A$4,985

$5,398 A$7,522

-33.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,263 A$5,941

$4,340 A$6,048

-1.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.42

-0.31%

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

Last update for Darwin: May 30, 2026

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,606 in Darwin and $1,520 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Darwin vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $336 per month, with Perth 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

Darwin vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Perth earns 2% less. 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: $1,606 in Darwin versus $1,520 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Darwin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Perth – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $81.0 in Darwin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Perth 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, Darwin 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 Perth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Darwin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.