Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Busselton Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Busselton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,632 in Busselton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,791 in Busselton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $4,949 in Busselton.

Living in Perth is roughly 18% more expensive than in Busselton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Busselton 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.32

$18.10 A$25.53

14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$87.3 A$123

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.98

$10.57 A$14.91

0.47%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.46

$4.48 A$6.32

2.23%

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

$2.96 A$4.17

$2.17 A$3.06

36.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.26

$2.11 A$2.97

9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.23

$8.64 A$12.19

0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.25

$8.75 A$12.34

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.48

$1.79 A$2.52

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.25

$3.06 A$4.32

-1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.98

$2.00 A$2.82

5.50%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.37

$5.32 A$7.51

-1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.80

$9.30 A$13.12

-2.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.96

$9.63 A$13.58

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.20

$14.48 A$20.42

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.67

$4.55 A$6.42

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.68

$3.26 A$4.60

1.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$3.57 A$5.03

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.23

$5.23 A$7.38

-2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.10

$2.91 A$4.10

-0.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.71

$2.01 A$2.84

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.21

$2.39 A$3.37

-4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.93

$1.32 A$1.86

3.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.6

$42.10 A$59.4

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$18.04

$13.08 A$18.45

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.29

$4.33 A$6.10

3.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.07

$3.62 A$5.10

-0.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.61

$3.12 A$4.40

-17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$82.7 A$117

22.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.25

$3.77 A$5.31

-1.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.02

$1.42 A$2.01

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$59.1

$41.43 A$58.4

1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.89

$1.35 A$1.90

-0.74%

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

$28.0K A$39.5K

$27.8K A$39.3K

0.71%

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

$30.3K A$42.7K

$29.7K A$41.9K

1.85%

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

$205 A$289

$207 A$292

-1.19%

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

$34.01 A$47.96

$34.28 A$48.34

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$89.2

$63.1 A$89.0

0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.6

$52.8 A$74.5

6.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.33

$20.38 A$28.74

8.98%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.61

$17.67 A$24.91

2.77%

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

$2,378 A$3,354

$2,360 A$3,328

0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.5K

$24.0K A$33.9K

-1.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$108

$75.4 A$106

1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$95.1

$67.1 A$94.7

0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$123 A$174

-1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,737

$1,351 A$1,905

43.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,331

$1,082 A$1,526

52.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,021

$1,916 A$2,701

48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,181

$1,961 A$2,765

15.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.9K

$6,654 A$9,384

26.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,550

$4,980 A$7,023

21.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Busselton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,351 in Busselton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $87.0 in Perth vs $87.0 in Busselton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $373 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

Perth vs Busselton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Busselton differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($3,096 vs $2,632 including rent). Busselton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,644 in Perth and $3,948 in Busselton 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: $1,941 in Perth versus $1,351 in Busselton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,378 in Perth versus $2,360 in Busselton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Busselton 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, Perth and Busselton 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 Busselton 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.