Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,674 in Geelong versus $3,083 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Geelong versus $4,303 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,573 in Geelong versus $5,522 in Perth.

Living in Geelong costs roughly 13% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Geelong 95% above, Perth 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.91 A$24.86

$21.57 A$29.95

-16.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 A$121

$84.9 A$118

3.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 A$15.01

$11.01 A$15.29

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$3.78 A$5.24

$4.65 A$6.46

-18.71%

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

$2.67 A$3.71

$2.92 A$4.06

-8.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 A$3.15

$2.26 A$3.14

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 A$9.10

$8.71 A$12.10

-24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 A$8.09

$8.38 A$11.63

-30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.71 A$2.38

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 A$3.16

$3.18 A$4.42

-28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 A$2.06

$2.10 A$2.92

-29.52%

Eggs

$3.94 A$5.47

$5.38 A$7.48

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 A$12.00

$9.26 A$12.86

-6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 A$13.18

$9.39 A$13.03

1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 A$22.08

$14.57 A$20.23

9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 A$4.89

$4.76 A$6.60

-26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.22

$3.35 A$4.65

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.11

$3.47 A$4.81

-14.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.64

$5.24 A$7.27

-36.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.30

$2.98 A$4.13

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.09

$1.99 A$2.76

12.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.04

$2.29 A$3.18

-4.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.32 A$1.84

28.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$34.43 A$47.80

$42.45 A$58.9

-18.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 A$17.07

$12.95 A$17.98

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 A$5.17

$4.56 A$6.32

-18.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 A$4.21

$3.50 A$4.86

-13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.73 A$10.73

$2.48 A$3.45

211.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 A$180

$99.6 A$138

30.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 A$5.88

$3.82 A$5.30

10.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.95

$1.43 A$1.99

-1.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.07 A$43.14

$40.92 A$56.8

-24.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 A$1.84

$1.34 A$1.86

-0.75%

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

$29.1K A$40.4K

$27.9K A$38.7K

4.30%

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

$27.7K A$38.5K

$31.1K A$43.2K

-11.05%

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

$158 A$219

$207 A$287

-23.78%

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

$26.36 A$36.59

$33.06 A$45.89

-20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 A$81.7

$65.1 A$90.3

-9.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 A$81.4

$57.4 A$79.7

2.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.13 A$22.39

$21.95 A$30.46

-26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 A$18.21

$17.10 A$23.74

-23.33%

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

$2,220 A$3,082

$2,383 A$3,308

-6.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$45.8K

$24.2K A$33.5K

36.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 A$113

$78.3 A$109

3.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 A$71.8

$67.5 A$93.8

-23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 A$132

$122 A$169

-22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$159 A$221

-33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 A$1,860

$1,935 A$2,686

-30.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 A$1,979

$1,645 A$2,284

-13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 A$2,522

$2,839 A$3,941

-36.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,149

$2,261 A$3,138

-31.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,704 A$9,306

$8,673 A$12.0K

-22.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,446 A$7,561

$5,918 A$8,215

-7.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,126 A$4,339

$4,273 A$5,932

-26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.92

-1.18%

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

Last update for Geelong: August 31, 2026

Last update for Perth: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,340 in Geelong and $1,935 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 37% 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: $87.0 in Geelong vs $85.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $375, with Geelong 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

Geelong vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geelong and Perth differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,674 vs $3,083 including rent). Geelong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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: $1,340 in Geelong versus $1,935 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,674 per month in Geelong versus $3,083 in Perth – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Geelong runs roughly 30% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,674 in Geelong versus $3,083 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Geelong but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Geelong 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, Geelong 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 Geelong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.