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: $2,367 in Geelong versus $2,294 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,084 in Geelong versus $3,344 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,800 in Geelong versus $4,394 in Perth.

Living in Geelong is roughly 3% more expensive than Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Geelong 77% above, Perth 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.43 A$23.03

$16.46 A$23.06

-0.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$109

$78.3 A$110

-0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 A$13.33

$10.59 A$14.84

-10.20%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.70 A$5.18

-11.89%

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

$2.60 A$3.64

$2.48 A$3.48

4.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 A$3.04

$1.98 A$2.78

9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 A$8.57

$7.85 A$11.00

-22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 A$6.86

$6.69 A$9.37

-26.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.40 A$1.97

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 A$3.07

$2.46 A$3.44

-10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 A$1.24

$1.96 A$2.75

-55.10%

Eggs

$2.77 A$3.88

$4.53 A$6.35

-38.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 A$10.63

$8.70 A$12.19

-12.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 A$13.30

$8.55 A$11.98

10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 A$20.70

$14.00 A$19.61

5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$3.43 A$4.81

-16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 A$3.90

$2.90 A$4.07

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.07

$2.96 A$4.15

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$4.74 A$6.65

-51.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.43

$2.40 A$3.36

2.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 A$2.87

$1.77 A$2.48

15.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 A$2.17

$2.00 A$2.81

-22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.32

$1.52 A$2.12

8.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.34 A$43.92

$32.13 A$45.02

-2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 A$19.32

$13.05 A$18.28

5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 A$5.00

$3.92 A$5.49

-8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 A$4.22

$4.13 A$5.79

-27.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.82 A$9.56

$2.97 A$4.17

129.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 A$164

$72.5 A$102

61.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 A$4.97

$4.02 A$5.63

-11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$1.97

$2.12 A$2.97

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.60 A$38.68

$48.71 A$68.3

-43.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.12 A$1.57

6.25%

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

$28.6K A$40.1K

$28.7K A$40.2K

-0.40%

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

$23.1K A$32.3K

$24.1K A$33.7K

-4.21%

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

$140 A$196

$156 A$219

-10.74%

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

$20.80 A$29.14

$28.43 A$39.84

-26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 A$70.9

$56.5 A$79.2

-10.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 A$73.8

$41.39 A$58.0

27.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 A$20.13

$15.53 A$21.76

-7.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 A$16.46

$16.23 A$22.75

-27.60%

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

$1,748 A$2,449

$1,810 A$2,536

-3.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K A$27.2K

$11.8K A$16.5K

64.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 A$94.3

$69.6 A$97.5

-3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 A$61.7

$48.93 A$68.6

-10.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$142

$102 A$143

-1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 A$125

$105 A$148

-15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 A$2,087

$1,520 A$2,130

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 A$1,731

$1,135 A$1,590

8.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 A$1,694

$2,526 A$3,539

-52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 A$1,717

$1,810 A$2,536

-32.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,740 A$9,444

$6,858 A$9,610

-1.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,423 A$7,598

$5,398 A$7,564

0.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,163 A$4,432

$4,340 A$6,082

-27.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.42

-3.58%

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

Last update for Geelong: June 1, 2026

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Geelong and $1,520 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth 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: $78.0 in Geelong vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $336 per month, with Geelong 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

Geelong vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geelong and Perth differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $2,294 including rent). Perth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Perth earns 37% 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: $1,489 in Geelong versus $1,520 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Geelong versus $2,294 in Perth – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Perth runs roughly 62% less than in Geelong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,294 in Perth versus $2,367 in Geelong, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Perth but tight or insufficient in Geelong. The gap between the two cities makes Perth 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 Perth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Geelong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.