Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakenham and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Pakenham and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,616 in Pakenham versus $3,096 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,799 in Pakenham versus $4,187 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,982 in Pakenham versus $5,277 in Perth.

Living in Pakenham costs roughly 16% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pakenham 91% above, Perth 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 A$25.53

$20.79 A$29.32

-12.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 A$121

$86.6 A$122

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.33 A$17.39

$10.62 A$14.98

16.10%

Cappuccino

$4.00 A$5.65

$4.58 A$6.46

-12.66%

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

$3.18 A$4.49

$2.96 A$4.17

7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.66

$2.31 A$3.26

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.17 A$14.34

$8.67 A$12.23

17.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.80 A$12.41

$8.69 A$12.25

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.66

$1.76 A$2.48

-32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 A$4.41

$3.01 A$4.25

3.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.19

$2.11 A$2.98

40.76%

Eggs

$5.89 A$8.31

$5.23 A$7.37

12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.27

$9.07 A$12.80

-4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.93 A$14.00

$9.19 A$12.96

8.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 A$21.98

$14.32 A$20.20

8.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.21

$4.73 A$6.67

-6.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.74

$3.32 A$4.68

-20.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 A$4.77

$3.50 A$4.93

-3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 A$6.72

$5.12 A$7.23

-6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.45

$2.90 A$4.10

8.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.66

$1.92 A$2.71

35.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 A$3.58

$2.28 A$3.21

11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.36

$1.37 A$1.93

21.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.84 A$36.44

$42.95 A$60.6

-39.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 A$17.55

$12.79 A$18.04

-2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.64 A$7.96

$4.46 A$6.29

26.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.36

$3.59 A$5.07

45.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 A$4.06

$2.56 A$3.61

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.1 A$113

$101 A$142

-20.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 A$6.48

$3.72 A$5.25

23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 A$2.00

$1.43 A$2.02

-0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.14 A$43.91

$41.88 A$59.1

-25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 A$1.96

$1.34 A$1.89

3.73%

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

$28.7K A$40.4K

$28.0K A$39.5K

2.29%

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

$27.0K A$38.1K

$30.3K A$42.7K

-10.75%

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

$241 A$340

$205 A$289

17.77%

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

$28.12 A$39.65

$34.01 A$47.96

-17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 A$81.6

$63.2 A$89.2

-8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 A$83.3

$56.5 A$79.6

4.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.56 A$27.58

$22.21 A$31.33

-11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 A$25.07

$18.16 A$25.61

-2.09%

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

$2,459 A$3,469

$2,378 A$3,354

3.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K A$45.6K

$23.7K A$33.5K

36.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 A$114

$76.3 A$108

5.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 A$72.7

$67.4 A$95.1

-23.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$171

$121 A$170

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$193

$149 A$210

-8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,477 A$2,083

$1,941 A$2,737

-23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 A$1,698

$1,653 A$2,331

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 A$3,359

$2,851 A$4,021

-16.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 A$2,589

$2,256 A$3,181

-18.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,014 A$8,482

$8,414 A$11.9K

-28.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,170 A$7,291

$6,063 A$8,550

-14.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.92

-0.84%

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

Last update for Pakenham: September 15, 2026

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,477 in Pakenham and $1,941 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Pakenham vs $87.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $385 vs $370, with Perth cheaper for home cooking.

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

Pakenham vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pakenham wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pakenham the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,924 in Pakenham and $4,644 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: $1,477 in Pakenham versus $1,941 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,459 in Pakenham versus $2,378 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Pakenham 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, Pakenham 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 Pakenham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.