Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Canterbury-Bankstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Canterbury-Bankstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,097 in Perth versus $2,689 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Perth versus $3,880 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,404 in Perth versus $5,071 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Living in Perth is roughly 15% more expensive than in Canterbury-Bankstown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 125% above, Canterbury-Bankstown 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.52 A$28.61

$17.80 A$24.81

15.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 A$119

$92.6 A$129

-8.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 A$15.04

$10.57 A$14.74

1.99%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.13 A$5.76

8.47%

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

$2.91 A$4.06

$2.93 A$4.08

-0.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.28 A$3.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 A$12.03

$8.07 A$11.25

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 A$12.10

$7.11 A$9.92

22.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$1.75 A$2.44

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.20 A$4.47

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.95

$2.45 A$3.41

-13.47%

Eggs

$5.47 A$7.63

$5.74 A$8.01

-4.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 A$13.29

$12.59 A$17.55

-24.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$9.61 A$13.39

0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 A$20.03

$16.56 A$23.09

-13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.81 A$5.31

25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.17 A$4.43

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.36 A$4.68

6.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.39

$5.16 A$7.20

2.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$3.24 A$4.52

-7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$2.52 A$3.51

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.41 A$3.36

0.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.89

$1.33 A$1.85

2.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.56 A$60.7

$45.11 A$62.9

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 A$18.43

$14.10 A$19.65

-6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.39

$4.96 A$6.91

-7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.90

$5.51 A$7.69

-36.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.56

$3.17 A$4.42

-19.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 A$143

$85.7 A$120

19.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.26

$3.54 A$4.94

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.65 A$2.31

-8.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 A$59.1

$41.85 A$58.4

1.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.39 A$1.94

-2.88%

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

$28.8K A$40.2K

$28.0K A$39.0K

2.92%

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

$31.2K A$43.5K

$30.2K A$42.1K

3.44%

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

$207 A$289

$189 A$263

9.76%

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

$34.58 A$48.21

$28.16 A$39.26

22.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 A$87.6

$56.4 A$78.6

11.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 A$78.9

$56.4 A$78.7

0.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.54 A$31.43

$18.25 A$25.44

23.51%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 A$24.96

$18.03 A$25.13

-0.67%

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

$2,360 A$3,290

$2,297 A$3,203

2.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.0K

$20.8K A$29.0K

13.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 A$107

$77.8 A$108

-0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 A$92.5

$72.0 A$100

-7.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$125 A$174

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 A$218

$137 A$192

13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,774

$1,443 A$2,012

37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 A$2,278

$1,292 A$1,801

26.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 A$4,021

$2,281 A$3,181

26.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,185

$1,854 A$2,584

23.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,466 A$11.8K

$6,646 A$9,266

27.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 A$8,594

$5,296 A$7,384

16.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,375 A$6,100

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.84

1.37%

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

Last update for Perth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Canterbury-Bankstown: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,989 in Perth and $1,443 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Perth vs $93.0 in Canterbury-Bankstown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $399 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 Canterbury-Bankstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Canterbury-Bankstown differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($3,097 vs $2,689 including rent). Canterbury-Bankstown is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,645 in Perth and $4,034 in Canterbury-Bankstown 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: $1,989 in Perth versus $1,443 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Canterbury-Bankstown – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $85.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,097 per month in Perth versus $2,689 in Canterbury-Bankstown – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Canterbury-Bankstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.