Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Cairns Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Cairns

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,294 per month in Perth vs $2,317 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,344 per month in Perth vs $3,472 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Perth vs $4,627 in Cairns, rent included.

Perth is about 1% cheaper than Cairns, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Cairns sit above the global median – Perth by 71%, Cairns by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$22.93

$11.59 A$16.15

42.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$81.4 A$113

-3.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.76

$10.88 A$15.16

-2.67%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.16

$3.75 A$5.23

-1.33%

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

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.84 A$3.96

-12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.76

$2.30 A$3.21

-13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$10.94

$6.43 A$8.96

22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.32

$6.96 A$9.70

-3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.74 A$2.42

-19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.44 A$3.40

0.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$2.68 A$3.74

-26.87%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.31

$4.00 A$5.58

13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.12

$8.18 A$11.40

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.92

$9.26 A$12.90

-7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.50

$12.76 A$17.78

9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.78

$2.98 A$4.15

15.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$2.23 A$3.10

30.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$2.75 A$3.83

7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.61

$7.39 A$10.30

-35.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.34

$2.23 A$3.11

7.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.47

$2.33 A$3.25

-24.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.79

$2.27 A$3.16

-11.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$2.86 A$3.99

-46.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$44.78

$28.71 A$40.01

11.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.18

$11.50 A$16.02

13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.46

$3.40 A$4.74

15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.76

$3.49 A$4.86

18.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.14

$3.27 A$4.56

-9.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$64.9 A$90.5

11.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.59

$6.64 A$9.26

-39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.96

$3.19 A$4.44

-33.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$67.9

$33.95 A$47.31

43.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.56

$1.10 A$1.53

1.82%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$22.8K A$31.8K

25.90%

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

$24.1K A$33.6K

$19.1K A$26.7K

25.82%

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

$156 A$218

$149 A$207

5.04%

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

$28.43 A$39.62

$37.35 A$52.1

-23.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$78.7

$58.6 A$81.6

-3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$57.7

$38.65 A$53.9

7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.64

$15.95 A$22.23

-2.63%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.62

$13.24 A$18.45

22.58%

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

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,636 A$2,280

10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$11.9K A$16.6K

-0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.0

$83.6 A$116

-16.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.2

$66.6 A$92.8

-26.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$101 A$141

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$139 A$194

-24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,118

$1,230 A$1,714

23.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,582

$1,111 A$1,548

2.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,519

$1,987 A$2,769

27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,866 A$2,601

-3.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,557

$6,707 A$9,347

2.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,522

$5,132 A$7,151

5.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,048

$4,549 A$6,338

-4.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.96

-7.76%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cairns: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,520 in Perth versus $1,230 in Cairns. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Cairns, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Perth versus $81.0 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $356 – making Perth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 1% more than Perth, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,440 per month in Perth and $3,476 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Perth and $81.0 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Perth, where all-in costs run around $2,294, than in Cairns at $2,317. In Perth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Perth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.