Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle, Australia and Perth

For one person, living is cheaper in Newcastle: $2,577 a month against $3,027 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Newcastle
Learn more

Newcastle Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Perth
Learn more

Perth Living Index

Jump to prices

Newcastle

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,577

/mo nomad

Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,027

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newcastle 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 Newcastle and in Perth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,577 in Newcastle versus $3,027 in Perth.

Newcastle $2,577
Perth $3,027

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,805 in Newcastle versus $4,162 in Perth.

Newcastle $3,805
Perth $4,162

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,033 in Newcastle versus $5,297 in Perth.

Newcastle $5,033
Perth $5,297

Living in Newcastle costs roughly 15% less than in Perth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newcastle 90% above, Perth 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.75 A$29.49

$21.22 A$30.16

-2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 A$147

$84.5 A$120

22.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 A$14.95

$11.01 A$15.64

-4.45%

Cappuccino

$3.82 A$5.42

$4.43 A$6.30

-13.77%

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

$3.29 A$4.68

$2.88 A$4.09

14.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 A$2.49

$2.25 A$3.19

-21.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.85 A$12.57

$8.44 A$11.99

4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 A$9.65

$8.22 A$11.68

-17.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$2.01

$1.74 A$2.48

-18.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 A$3.84

$3.12 A$4.43

-13.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.78

$2.06 A$2.92

-5.34%

Eggs

$4.67 A$6.63

$5.21 A$7.41

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 A$14.45

$9.02 A$12.81

12.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.59

$9.33 A$13.26

-5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 A$22.64

$13.80 A$19.60

15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 A$5.06

$4.59 A$6.52

-22.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.20

$3.23 A$4.59

-8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.12

$3.40 A$4.83

-14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 A$6.24

$4.89 A$6.94

-10.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.11

$2.86 A$4.07

1.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.29

$1.89 A$2.68

22.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 A$3.56

$2.19 A$3.11

14.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 A$1.99

$1.39 A$1.97

0.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.88 A$45.29

$42.45 A$60.3

-24.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.65 A$15.13

$12.73 A$18.08

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.34 A$6.17

$4.56 A$6.47

-4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 A$4.68

$3.32 A$4.72

-0.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 A$3.90

$2.40 A$3.41

14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$150 A$214

$98.4 A$140

52.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 A$3.52

$3.53 A$5.01

-29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 A$2.23

$1.46 A$2.07

7.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.98 A$58.2

$40.43 A$57.4

1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.68

$1.36 A$1.93

-12.50%

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

$29.7K A$42.3K

$29.6K A$42.1K

0.43%

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

$25.1K A$35.6K

$27.7K A$39.4K

-9.54%

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

$218 A$310

$205 A$292

6.20%

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

$26.13 A$37.13

$32.82 A$46.63

-20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 A$80.4

$64.0 A$91.0

-11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.94 A$63.9

$55.2 A$78.4

-18.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.86 A$25.38

$20.94 A$29.75

-14.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 A$20.02

$17.27 A$24.54

-18.41%

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

$2,158 A$3,067

$2,320 A$3,297

-6.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K A$19.4K

$22.9K A$32.5K

-40.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 A$114

$76.4 A$109

5.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.87 A$66.6

$63.1 A$89.6

-25.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 A$170

$122 A$173

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 A$167

$163 A$232

-27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 A$2,203

$1,936 A$2,751

-19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 A$1,700

$1,624 A$2,307

-26.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 A$3,503

$2,820 A$4,007

-12.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 A$2,649

$2,161 A$3,071

-13.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K A$19.2K

$8,369 A$11.9K

61.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,833 A$8,288

$6,001 A$8,526

-2.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,099 A$4,404

$4,209 A$5,980

-26.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.96

9.90%

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

Last update for Newcastle: October 19, 2026

Last update for Perth: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Newcastle

$1.2K 46.4%

Perth

$1.6K 53.7% 35.7% $427

Groceries & Markets

Newcastle

$349 13.6%

Perth

$366 12.1% 4.8% $17

Eating Out

Newcastle

$321 12.5%

Perth

$335 11.1% 4.3% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newcastle

$301 11.7%

Perth

$302 10% 0.5% $1.4

Getting Around

Newcastle

$172 6.7%

Perth

$119 3.9% 30.8% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Newcastle

$164 6.4%

Perth

$191 6.3% 16.5% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Newcastle

$73 2.8%

Perth

$90 3% 22.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,550 in Newcastle and $1,936 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 36% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $104 in Newcastle vs $85 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $366, with Newcastle cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Newcastle

🇦🇺 Perth

🕒 Local time

10:07 10:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

3 h behind Newcastle

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

508,437

2,043,762

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.628 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Newcastle Perth 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Newcastle
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

Newcastle vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newcastle is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and leisure. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Newcastle. 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: $1,550 in Newcastle versus $1,936 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,577 per month in Newcastle versus $3,027 in Perth – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Perth runs roughly 35% less than in Newcastle. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Newcastle 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, Newcastle 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.

It comes down to priorities – Newcastle wins on affordability, Perth on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.