Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Alice Springs

For one person, living is cheaper in Alice Springs: $1,798 a month against $3,027 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Perth
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Perth Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Alice Springs
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Alice Springs Living Index

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Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,027

/mo nomad

Alice Springs

🇦🇺 Australia

$1,798

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Alice Springs

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,027 in Perth versus $1,798 in Alice Springs.

Perth $3,027
Alice Springs $1,798

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,162 in Perth versus $2,720 in Alice Springs.

Perth $4,162
Alice Springs $2,720

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,297 in Perth versus $3,641 in Alice Springs.

Perth $5,297
Alice Springs $3,641

Living in Perth is roughly 68% more expensive than in Alice Springs, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 123% above, Alice Springs 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.22 A$30.54

$17.27 A$24.85

22.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 A$122

$83.0 A$119

1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 A$15.84

$10.70 A$15.40

2.90%

Cappuccino

$4.43 A$6.38

$4.28 A$6.16

3.50%

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

$2.88 A$4.15

$2.87 A$4.13

0.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.24

$2.82 A$4.06

-20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.44 A$12.14

$6.48 A$9.33

30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 A$11.83

$9.54 A$13.72

-13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.51

$1.43 A$2.05

21.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 A$4.49

$2.10 A$3.03

48.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 A$2.96

$1.78 A$2.57

15.73%

Eggs

$5.21 A$7.50

$5.10 A$7.33

2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 A$12.98

$10.17 A$14.63

-11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 A$13.43

$8.29 A$11.94

12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.80 A$19.85

$14.50 A$20.87

-4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 A$6.60

$3.84 A$5.53

19.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.65

$3.00 A$4.32

7.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 A$4.89

$2.63 A$3.78

29.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 A$7.03

$6.85 A$9.86

-28.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.12

$2.49 A$3.58

14.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 A$2.72

$2.28 A$3.28

-17.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.15

$2.43 A$3.50

-9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 A$2.00

$2.36 A$3.40

-41.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.45 A$61.1

$28.22 A$40.60

50.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 A$18.31

$13.77 A$19.82

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.56 A$6.56

$3.22 A$4.64

41.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 A$4.78

$5.59 A$8.04

-40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 A$3.45

$2.79 A$4.02

-13.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.4 A$142

$68.9 A$99.1

42.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$5.07

$4.84 A$6.97

-27.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.55 A$2.24

-5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.43 A$58.2

$27.74 A$39.92

45.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.95

$1.35 A$1.94

0.74%

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

$29.6K A$42.6K

$37.6K A$54.1K

-21.28%

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

$27.7K A$39.9K

$23.0K A$33.0K

20.70%

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

$205 A$295

$213 A$306

-3.40%

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

$32.82 A$47.23

$28.21 A$40.59

16.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 A$92.1

$45.86 A$66.0

39.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 A$79.4

$56.9 A$81.9

-2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 A$30.13

$17.95 A$25.83

16.66%

Cinema Ticket

$17.27 A$24.85

$13.94 A$20.06

23.89%

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

$2,320 A$3,339

$1,941 A$2,793

19.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K A$32.9K

$20.6K A$29.6K

11.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 A$110

$73.1 A$105

4.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 A$90.8

$12.03 A$17.31

424.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$176

$138 A$198

-11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 A$235

$120 A$173

35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,936 A$2,786

$1,405 A$2,022

37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 A$2,337

$518 A$746

213.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 A$4,058

$1,267 A$1,823

122.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,161 A$3,110

$765 A$1,101

182.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 A$12.0K

$4,502 A$6,478

85.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,001 A$8,635

$4,696 A$6,757

27.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,209 A$6,056

$4,301 A$6,189

-2.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

5.9

1.02%

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

Last update for Perth: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alice Springs: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Perth

$1.6K 53.7%

Alice Springs

$518 28.8% 68.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Perth

$366 12.1%

Alice Springs

$365 20.3% 0.1% $0.5

Eating Out

Perth

$335 11.1%

Alice Springs

$296 16.5% 11.7% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perth

$302 10%

Alice Springs

$287 15.9% 5.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Perth

$191 6.3%

Alice Springs

$154 8.6% 19.3% $37

Getting Around

Perth

$119 3.9%

Alice Springs

$93 5.2% 22% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Perth

$90 3%

Alice Springs

$85 4.7% 5.5% $5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,936 in Perth and $1,405 in Alice Springs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alice Springs pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Perth vs $83.0 in Alice Springs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $365 per month, with Alice Springs cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Perth

🇦🇺 Alice Springs

🕒 Local time

09:46 9:46 AM

11:16 11:16 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Perth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,043,762

24,855

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Perth Alice Springs 1,990 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Perth
Alice Springs

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

Perth vs Alice Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alice Springs wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alice Springs the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Alice Springs. 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: $1,936 in Perth versus $1,405 in Alice Springs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Alice Springs – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $85.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,798 in Alice Springs versus $3,027 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alice Springs but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Alice Springs 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, Perth and Alice Springs 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 Alice Springs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.