Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Byron Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Byron Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Perth versus $2,121 in Byron Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Perth versus $3,061 in Byron Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Perth versus $4,001 in Byron Bay.

Living in Perth is roughly 8% more expensive than Byron Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 71% above, Byron Bay 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$22.93

$12.93 A$18.02

27.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$52.4 A$73.0

49.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.76

$9.70 A$13.51

9.18%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.16

$3.18 A$4.44

16.35%

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

$2.48 A$3.46

$1.31 A$1.83

89.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.76

$2.17 A$3.02

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$10.94

$5.06 A$7.05

55.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.32

$7.58 A$10.57

-11.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.61 A$2.24

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.29 A$3.19

7.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$1.89 A$2.64

3.70%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.31

$4.51 A$6.28

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.12

$7.98 A$11.13

9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.92

$8.20 A$11.43

4.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.50

$13.76 A$19.18

1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.78

$3.27 A$4.56

4.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$2.75 A$3.84

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$2.65 A$3.69

11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.61

$4.40 A$6.13

7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.34

$2.43 A$3.39

-1.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.47

$2.30 A$3.20

-23.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.79

$2.21 A$3.08

-9.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$1.25 A$1.75

21.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$44.78

$30.85 A$42.98

4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.18

$12.68 A$17.67

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.46

$4.65 A$6.48

-15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.76

$4.17 A$5.82

-0.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.14

$2.62 A$3.65

13.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$66.1 A$92.0

9.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.59

$2.32 A$3.24

73.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.56 A$2.18

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$67.9

$34.19 A$47.65

42.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.56

$1.20 A$1.67

-6.67%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$28.4K A$39.6K

0.97%

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

$24.1K A$33.6K

$22.3K A$31.1K

8.08%

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

$156 A$218

$149 A$207

5.26%

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

$28.43 A$39.62

$12.93 A$18.02

119.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$78.7

$38.92 A$54.2

45.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$57.7

$48.28 A$67.3

-14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.64

$15.91 A$22.16

-2.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.62

$12.87 A$17.94

26.11%

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

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,621 A$2,259

11.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$8,949 A$12.5K

31.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.0

$65.6 A$91.4

6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.2

$19.62 A$27.34

149.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$64.7 A$90.2

58.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$101 A$141

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,118

$1,281 A$1,786

18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,582

$1,078 A$1,502

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,519

$2,027 A$2,825

24.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,657 A$2,310

9.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,557

$6,054 A$8,437

13.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,522

$5,088 A$7,090

6.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,048

$5,085 A$7,085

-14.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.24

2.88%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Byron Bay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Perth and $1,281 in Byron Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byron Bay pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $52.0 in Byron Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $329 per month, with Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Byron Bay differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,294 vs $2,121 including rent). Byron Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Byron Bay earns 17% less. 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: $1,520 in Perth versus $1,281 in Byron Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,294 per month in Perth versus $2,121 in Byron Bay – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Byron Bay runs roughly 10% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,121 in Byron Bay versus $2,294 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Byron Bay but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay 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 Byron Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.