Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karratha and Perth

For one person, living is cheaper in Karratha: $2,473 a month against $3,027 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Karratha, Australia
Perth, Australia
Karratha
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,473
/mo nomad
Perth
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,027
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karratha and in Perth

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karratha and in Perth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,473 per month in Karratha vs $3,027 in Perth, rent included.

  • Karratha $2,473
  • Perth $3,027

A couple spends around $3,581 per month in Karratha vs $4,162 in Perth, rent included.

  • Karratha $3,581
  • Perth $4,162

A family of three spends $4,690 per month in Karratha vs $5,297 in Perth, rent included.

  • Karratha $4,690
  • Perth $5,297

Karratha is about 18% cheaper than Perth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Karratha and Perth sit above the global median – Karratha by 83%, Perth by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 A$24.99
$21.22 A$30.16
-17.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.6 A$117
$84.5 A$120
-2.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.31 A$14.66
$11.01 A$15.64
-6.36%
Cappuccino
$3.88 A$5.52
$4.43 A$6.30
-12.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 A$4.02
$2.88 A$4.09
-1.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 A$3.11
$2.25 A$3.19
-2.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.54 A$10.72
$8.44 A$11.99
-10.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.58 A$10.77
$8.22 A$11.68
-7.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 A$2.16
$1.74 A$2.48
-12.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 A$3.86
$3.12 A$4.43
-12.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 A$3.21
$2.06 A$2.92
9.71%
Eggs
$4.83 A$6.86
$5.21 A$7.41
-7.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.42 A$13.39
$9.02 A$12.81
4.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.43 A$13.39
$9.33 A$13.26
1.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.89 A$21.15
$13.80 A$19.60
7.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 A$5.65
$4.59 A$6.52
-13.51%
Banana (1kg)
$3.11 A$4.42
$3.23 A$4.59
-3.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.29 A$4.68
$3.40 A$4.83
-3.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.75 A$6.75
$4.89 A$6.94
-2.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$3.99
$2.86 A$4.07
-1.75%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 A$3.40
$1.89 A$2.68
26.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.33 A$3.31
$2.19 A$3.11
6.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 A$2.09
$1.39 A$1.97
5.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.46 A$58.9
$42.45 A$60.3
-2.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.65 A$19.39
$12.73 A$18.08
7.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.76 A$6.76
$4.56 A$6.47
4.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.35 A$7.60
$3.32 A$4.72
61.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Karratha
Perth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.89 A$4.11
$2.40 A$3.41
20.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.2 A$117
$98.4 A$140
-16.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.38 A$4.81
$3.53 A$5.01
-4.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 A$2.24
$1.46 A$2.07
8.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.46 A$56.1
$40.43 A$57.4
-2.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 A$1.94
$1.36 A$1.93
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.0K A$38.3K
$29.6K A$42.1K
-8.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K A$42.1K
$27.7K A$39.4K
6.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 A$286
$205 A$292
-1.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.87 A$39.60
$32.82 A$46.63
-15.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.4 A$78.7
$64.0 A$91.0
-13.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.7 A$80.6
$55.2 A$78.4
2.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.66 A$25.10
$20.94 A$29.75
-15.66%
Cinema Ticket
$14.78 A$21.00
$17.27 A$24.54
-14.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,176 A$3,091
$2,320 A$3,297
-6.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.4K A$29.0K
$22.9K A$32.5K
-10.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.6 A$110
$76.4 A$109
1.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.7 A$77.7
$63.1 A$89.6
-13.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 A$153
$122 A$173
-11.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 A$171
$163 A$232
-26.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karratha
Perth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,391 A$1,976
$1,936 A$2,751
-28.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,176 A$1,671
$1,624 A$2,307
-27.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,113 A$3,003
$2,820 A$4,007
-25.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,779 A$2,527
$2,161 A$3,071
-17.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,861 A$8,328
$8,369 A$11.9K
-29.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,940 A$7,020
$6,001 A$8,526
-17.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karratha
Perth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,209 A$5,980
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
5.96
-2.01%

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

Last update for Karratha: October 17, 2026

Last update for Perth: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Karratha
$1.2K
Perth
$1.6K 38.1% $448
Groceries & Markets
Karratha
$368
Perth
$366 0.6% $2.4
Eating Out
Karratha
$291
Perth
$335 15.1% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karratha
$285
Perth
$302 6.1% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Karratha
$162
Perth
$191 17.8% $29
Getting Around
Karratha
$105
Perth
$119 13.1% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Karratha
$86
Perth
$90 4% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,391 in Karratha versus $1,936 in Perth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Karratha versus $85 in Perth. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in Karratha vs $366 in Perth – so Perth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Karratha
🇦🇺 Perth
🕒 Local time
05:35 5:35 AM
05:35 5:35 AM
Same time as Karratha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,013
2,043,762
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.628 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karratha Perth 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Karratha
  • Perth

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Karratha vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Karratha and in Perth compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,473 in Karratha, $3,027 in Perth – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Karratha compared to Perth?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,710 per month in Karratha and $4,540 in Perth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Karratha and Perth?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Karratha, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,391 there versus $1,936 in Perth.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Karratha and Perth?
Kindergarten costs $2,176 per month in Karratha and $2,320 in Perth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Karratha or Perth?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,473 in Karratha and $3,027 in Perth. That’s a gap of about 22%.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Karratha, where all-in costs run around $2,473, than in Perth at $3,027. In Karratha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Karratha or Perth?
Families tend to lean toward Karratha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Karratha or Perth safer for residents?
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.

Karratha vs other spots: cost of living compared

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