Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Grafton Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Grafton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,310 in Perth versus $2,172 in Grafton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in Perth versus $3,136 in Grafton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Perth versus $4,099 in Grafton.

Living in Perth is roughly 6% more expensive than Grafton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 73% above, Grafton 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$16.56 A$23.18

-0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$71.3 A$99.8

8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$9.82 A$13.75

7.54%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.10 A$4.35

17.42%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.55 A$3.57

-0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

$2.23 A$3.12

-13.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$6.33 A$8.86

21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$7.66 A$10.72

-15.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.03 A$1.44

42.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.30 A$3.21

1.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.88 A$2.63

6.91%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$3.30 A$4.62

36.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$8.13 A$11.39

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$7.06 A$9.88

15.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$13.40 A$18.77

3.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$2.65 A$3.71

33.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$1.29 A$1.81

126.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$2.60 A$3.64

8.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$4.20 A$5.87

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$1.97 A$2.76

26.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.03 A$2.84

-14.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$1.60 A$2.25

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.01 A$1.41

44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$28.16 A$39.43

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$14.35 A$20.09

-23.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$4.65 A$6.51

-16.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$4.10 A$5.75

-1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$2.64 A$3.69

10.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$65.3 A$91.4

9.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$2.35 A$3.28

69.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.57 A$2.19

40.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$33.87 A$47.42

48.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.23 A$1.72

-5.69%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$28.4K A$39.8K

0.57%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$22.5K A$31.5K

8.19%

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

$154 A$215

$143 A$201

7.36%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$25.82 A$36.15

6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$46.08 A$64.5

20.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$49.39 A$69.2

-16.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.88 A$22.23

-0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$10.88 A$15.23

50.55%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$643 A$900

178.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$2,942 A$4,119

316.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$71.1 A$99.5

-1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$43.72 A$61.2

11.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$92.8 A$130

10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$99.3 A$139

5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,275 A$1,785

19.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,073 A$1,502

8.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$2,021 A$2,829

23.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,663 A$2,329

7.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$6,213 A$8,698

3.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$5,006 A$7,009

-1.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

$2,565 A$3,591

70.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.24

2.88%

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

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Last update for Grafton: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,527 in Perth and $1,275 in Grafton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 71% 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: $77.0 in Perth vs $71.0 in Grafton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $295 per month, with Grafton 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 Grafton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth and Grafton differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,310 vs $2,172 including rent). Grafton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Perth pays 71% more on average, 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: $1,527 in Perth versus $1,275 in Grafton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Grafton – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $77.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,172 in Grafton versus $2,310 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Grafton but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Grafton 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 Grafton 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 Grafton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.