Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Dubbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Dubbo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,096 per month in Perth vs $2,626 in Dubbo, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,187 per month in Perth vs $3,781 in Dubbo, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,277 per month in Perth vs $4,935 in Dubbo, rent included.

Perth costs about 18% more than Dubbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Dubbo sit above the global median – Perth by 126%, Dubbo by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.21

$18.18 A$25.54

14.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$87.3 A$123

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.92

$10.64 A$14.96

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.43

$4.05 A$5.69

13.09%

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

$2.96 A$4.16

$3.01 A$4.22

-1.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.25

$2.44 A$3.42

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.19

$8.25 A$11.59

5.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.21

$7.97 A$11.20

9.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.47

$1.65 A$2.31

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.23

$2.79 A$3.91

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.96

$2.35 A$3.31

-10.21%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.34

$5.04 A$7.08

3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.75

$9.91 A$13.92

-8.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.91

$9.26 A$13.01

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.12

$15.24 A$21.41

-6.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.65

$3.43 A$4.82

37.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.66

$3.86 A$5.43

-13.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.91

$2.92 A$4.10

19.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.20

$6.18 A$8.69

-17.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.08

$2.55 A$3.58

13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.70

$2.47 A$3.47

-22.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.45 A$3.45

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.75 A$2.46

-21.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.4

$32.61 A$45.82

31.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$17.97

$14.08 A$19.78

-9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.27

$4.91 A$6.90

-9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.05

$5.12 A$7.20

-29.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.60

$3.06 A$4.30

-16.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$86.9 A$122

16.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.23

$3.50 A$4.92

6.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.01

$1.47 A$2.06

-2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$58.9

$41.07 A$57.7

1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.88

$1.27 A$1.79

5.51%

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

$28.0K A$39.4K

$27.7K A$38.9K

1.33%

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

$30.3K A$42.6K

$30.4K A$42.7K

-0.23%

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

$205 A$288

$215 A$302

-4.85%

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

$34.01 A$47.78

$28.18 A$39.60

20.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$88.8

$84.0 A$118

-24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.4

$57.7 A$81.0

-2.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.21

$18.45 A$25.93

20.38%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.52

$15.64 A$21.98

16.11%

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

$2,378 A$3,341

$2,474 A$3,476

-3.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.4K

$19.8K A$27.8K

19.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$107

$77.1 A$108

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$94.7

$56.5 A$79.3

19.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$112 A$157

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

$125 A$176

19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,727

$970 A$1,363

100.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,322

$1,260 A$1,770

31.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,006

$1,639 A$2,303

73.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,169

$1,840 A$2,585

22.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.8K

$1,784 A$2,506

371.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,518

$5,328 A$7,486

13.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$5,997

$2,200 A$3,092

93.97%

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 Dubbo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,941 in Perth versus $970 in Dubbo. 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 94% higher in Perth, 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 $87.0 in Perth versus $87.0 in Dubbo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $385 – 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 Dubbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,096 in Perth, $2,626 in Dubbo – roughly 18% apart. Perth costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,644 per month in Perth and $3,940 in Dubbo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,378 per month in Perth and $2,474 in Dubbo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Perth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubbo, where all-in costs run around $2,626, than in Perth at $3,096. In Dubbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dubbo – 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 Dubbo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Perth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.