Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Northam and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Northam versus $2,332 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,227 in Northam versus $3,411 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,283 in Northam versus $4,490 in Perth.

Living in Northam costs roughly 7% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Northam 63% above, Perth 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 A$23.33

$16.54 A$23.69

-1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 A$113

$79.6 A$114

-0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 A$15.19

$10.27 A$14.70

3.21%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.16

$3.72 A$5.32

-3.23%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$2.58 A$3.69

-4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 A$2.86

$1.93 A$2.76

3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 A$10.94

$7.69 A$11.01

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 A$9.37

$6.67 A$9.56

-1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.10

$1.45 A$2.07

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 A$3.47

$2.45 A$3.51

-1.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 A$2.91

$2.00 A$2.87

1.50%

Eggs

$4.15 A$5.94

$4.62 A$6.61

-10.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.82 A$8.34

$8.56 A$12.26

-32.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 A$12.28

$8.37 A$11.98

2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 A$20.07

$13.68 A$19.59

2.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.79

$3.45 A$4.94

-23.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.24

$2.93 A$4.20

1.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.25

$2.87 A$4.11

3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 A$6.91

$4.79 A$6.86

0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.63

$2.42 A$3.46

4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.48

$1.70 A$2.43

1.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.86

$1.92 A$2.75

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 A$0.89

$1.51 A$2.16

-58.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.64 A$45.31

$31.75 A$45.47

-0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.56 A$5.10

$13.06 A$18.71

-72.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 A$5.46

$3.83 A$5.48

-0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 A$5.89

$4.12 A$5.90

-0.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.65

$3.06 A$4.38

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$91.8

$72.4 A$104

-11.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 A$5.52

$4.07 A$5.82

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 A$3.09

$2.22 A$3.18

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.49 A$69.4

$49.73 A$71.2

-2.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.62

$1.13 A$1.61

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$28.8K A$41.3K

-1.55%

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

$24.6K A$35.3K

$24.1K A$34.6K

2.07%

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

$159 A$227

$158 A$227

0.12%

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

$22.61 A$32.38

$28.54 A$40.86

-20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$79.7

$54.3 A$77.7

2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 A$71.1

$41.40 A$59.3

19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.54 A$22.25

$15.60 A$22.33

-0.38%

Cinema Ticket

$16.44 A$23.55

$16.53 A$23.67

-0.54%

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

$1,779 A$2,548

$1,823 A$2,610

-2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.4K

$12.1K A$17.4K

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 A$102

$69.3 A$99.2

3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.76 A$69.8

$48.31 A$69.2

0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$149

$103 A$148

0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$153

$105 A$150

2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,823

$1,486 A$2,128

-14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 A$1,526

$1,166 A$1,669

-8.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 A$2,838

$2,529 A$3,622

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 A$2,410

$1,792 A$2,566

-6.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,821 A$9,767

$8,178 A$11.7K

-16.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,410 A$7,747

$5,804 A$8,311

-6.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,287 A$6,138

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

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

Last update for Northam: July 21, 2026

Last update for Perth: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in Northam and $1,486 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Northam vs $80.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $334 per month, with Northam 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

Northam vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Northam wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Northam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,257 in Northam and $3,498 in Perth to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,273 in Northam versus $1,486 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Northam – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $80.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Northam versus $2,332 in Perth – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,171 in Northam versus $2,332 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Northam but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Northam 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, Northam 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 Northam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.