Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Coffs Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Coffs Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in Perth versus $2,298 in Coffs Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Perth versus $3,365 in Coffs Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in Perth versus $4,432 in Coffs Harbour.

Living in Perth is roughly 2% more expensive than in Coffs Harbour, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Coffs Harbour 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.46

$16.04 A$22.98

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$98.6 A$141

-21.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.70

$9.83 A$14.08

4.37%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.40

$3.29 A$4.71

14.59%

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

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.69 A$3.85

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.84

$1.98 A$2.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.13

$6.69 A$9.59

16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.35

$7.81 A$11.19

-16.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.10

$1.45 A$2.08

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.39

$2.52 A$3.60

-5.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.83

$2.22 A$3.18

-11.26%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.31

$3.13 A$4.48

40.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.07

$7.17 A$10.28

17.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.28

$6.63 A$9.50

29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.68

$12.51 A$17.92

9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.91

$3.53 A$5.06

-3.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.84 A$4.06

3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.05

$3.63 A$5.20

-22.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.81

$3.91 A$5.60

21.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$1.27 A$1.81

97.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$2.30 A$3.29

-22.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.87

$1.99 A$2.86

0.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$2.44 A$3.49

-37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.92

$21.02 A$30.11

49.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.73

$14.09 A$20.19

-7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.41

$6.43 A$9.21

-41.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.86

$6.47 A$9.28

-36.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.22

$4.41 A$6.32

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$103

$64.3 A$92.1

11.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.71

$1.97 A$2.83

102.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.03

$1.41 A$2.02

50.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.7

$33.86 A$48.52

45.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.67

$1.19 A$1.70

-2.52%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.0K A$41.6K

0.39%

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

$24.4K A$34.9K

$21.8K A$31.2K

11.72%

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

$155 A$222

$160 A$229

-3.13%

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

$28.24 A$40.45

$9.94 A$14.23

184.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.4

$53.0 A$76.0

5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$59.0

$49.28 A$70.6

-16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.40

$15.50 A$22.20

0.90%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.47

$12.90 A$18.49

26.98%

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

$1,799 A$2,577

$2,132 A$3,055

-15.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.1K

$7,180 A$10.3K

66.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$100.0

$61.1 A$87.6

14.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$69.0

$47.47 A$68.0

1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$150

$90.2 A$129

15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$123 A$177

-14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,111

$1,305 A$1,869

12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,678

$1,217 A$1,744

-3.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,691

$1,986 A$2,846

29.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,612

$1,808 A$2,590

0.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.7K

$3,533 A$5,062

130.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,108

$3,579 A$5,127

58.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 A$6,169

$3,628 A$5,197

18.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.35

1.10%

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

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Last update for Coffs Harbour: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 in Perth and $1,305 in Coffs Harbour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $99.0 in Coffs Harbour for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $341 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 Coffs Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coffs Harbour is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Perth, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,474 in Perth versus $1,305 in Coffs Harbour. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Coffs Harbour runs roughly 11% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,799 in Perth versus $2,132 in Coffs Harbour. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,298 in Coffs Harbour versus $2,351 in Perth, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Coffs Harbour but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.