Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Carlton Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Carlton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,323 in Carlton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,397 in Carlton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $4,472 in Carlton.

Living in Perth is roughly 33% more expensive than in Carlton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Carlton 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.32

$17.97 A$25.34

15.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$72.4 A$102

19.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.98

$10.42 A$14.69

1.92%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.46

$3.08 A$4.34

48.70%

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

$2.96 A$4.17

$2.64 A$3.73

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.26

$2.18 A$3.07

5.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.23

$6.89 A$9.72

25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.25

$6.64 A$9.36

30.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.48

$1.31 A$1.85

34.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.25

$2.04 A$2.88

47.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.98

$1.39 A$1.97

51.80%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.37

$3.39 A$4.78

54.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.80

$10.93 A$15.42

-17.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.96

$9.66 A$13.63

-4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.20

$15.48 A$21.83

-7.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.67

$3.35 A$4.73

41.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.68

$2.83 A$3.99

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$3.29 A$4.65

6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.23

$4.75 A$6.70

7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.10

$2.49 A$3.51

16.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.71

$2.22 A$3.13

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.21

$2.23 A$3.14

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.93

$0.87 A$1.23

57.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.6

$25.25 A$35.61

70.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$18.04

$10.64 A$15.01

20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.29

$5.54 A$7.81

-19.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.07

$5.31 A$7.49

-32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.61

$3.25 A$4.59

-21.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$84.6 A$119

19.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.25

$3.67 A$5.17

1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.02

$1.27 A$1.79

12.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$59.1

$27.37 A$38.60

53.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.89

$1.39 A$1.96

-3.60%

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

$28.0K A$39.5K

$18.2K A$25.7K

54.02%

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

$30.3K A$42.7K

$14.3K A$20.2K

111.22%

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

$205 A$289

$94.9 A$134

115.84%

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

$34.01 A$47.96

$28.80 A$40.62

18.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$89.2

$47.15 A$66.5

34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.6

$31.89 A$44.97

77.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.33

$18.60 A$26.23

19.41%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.61

$13.32 A$18.78

36.34%

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

$2,378 A$3,354

$2,163 A$3,050

9.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.5K

$13.1K A$18.5K

81.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$108

$81.0 A$114

-5.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$95.1

$52.4 A$73.9

28.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$72.7 A$103

66.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

$135 A$190

10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,737

$1,455 A$2,052

33.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,331

$1,275 A$1,798

29.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,021

$2,278 A$3,212

25.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,181

$1,846 A$2,604

22.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.9K

$6,371 A$8,985

32.07%

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

$5,844 A$8,242

-26.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.87

0.85%

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Carlton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,455 in Carlton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlton pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Perth vs $72.0 in Carlton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $342 per month, with Carlton 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 Carlton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Carlton differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($3,096 vs $2,323 including rent). Carlton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Carlton. 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: $1,941 in Perth versus $1,455 in Carlton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,378 in Perth versus $2,163 in Carlton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Carlton 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 Carlton 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 Carlton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.