Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,294 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,344 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,394 in Perth.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 5% more expensive than Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Perth 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.68

$16.46 A$23.07

19.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.3 A$110

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.60

$10.59 A$14.85

-8.40%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.14

$3.70 A$5.19

-1.08%

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

$2.60 A$3.65

$2.48 A$3.48

4.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.28

$1.98 A$2.78

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.06

$7.85 A$11.01

-8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.79

$6.69 A$9.38

4.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.40 A$1.97

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.73

$2.46 A$3.45

8.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$1.96 A$2.75

19.39%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.73

$4.53 A$6.35

5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.29

$8.70 A$12.19

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.23

$8.55 A$11.99

10.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.22

$14.00 A$19.62

3.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.67

$3.43 A$4.81

-2.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.89

$2.90 A$4.07

-4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.21

$2.96 A$4.15

1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.53

$4.74 A$6.65

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.40 A$3.36

11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.30

$1.77 A$2.48

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$2.00 A$2.81

7.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.52 A$2.13

7.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.49

$32.13 A$45.05

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.78

$13.05 A$18.29

8.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.51

$3.92 A$5.49

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.07

$4.13 A$5.79

22.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.89

$2.97 A$4.17

17.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$72.5 A$102

65.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.91

$4.02 A$5.63

-12.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.89

$2.12 A$2.97

-36.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.77

$48.71 A$68.3

-44.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.67

$1.12 A$1.57

6.25%

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

$29.4K A$41.3K

$28.7K A$40.2K

2.50%

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

$23.6K A$33.1K

$24.1K A$33.8K

-2.12%

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

$150 A$210

$156 A$219

-4.07%

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

$21.16 A$29.67

$28.43 A$39.86

-25.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.5

$56.5 A$79.2

-10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.9

$41.39 A$58.0

18.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.96

$15.53 A$21.77

5.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$23.04

$16.23 A$22.76

1.23%

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

$1,764 A$2,473

$1,810 A$2,538

-2.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$11.8K A$16.5K

62.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.8

$69.6 A$97.6

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.7

$48.93 A$68.6

8.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$149

$102 A$144

3.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$105 A$148

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,205

$1,520 A$2,131

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,675

$1,135 A$1,591

5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,273

$2,526 A$3,541

20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,789

$1,810 A$2,538

9.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.4K

$6,858 A$9,615

7.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,151

$5,398 A$7,568

20.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,326

$4,340 A$6,085

3.96%

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 Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,520 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 4% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 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

Melbourne vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Perth differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,294 including rent). Perth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 4% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,520 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,810 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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, Melbourne 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 5% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.