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: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,452 in Grafton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,497 in Grafton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $4,542 in Grafton.

Living in Perth is roughly 26% more expensive than in Grafton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Grafton 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.20

$17.63 A$24.75

17.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$79.4 A$112

8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.91

$11.35 A$15.93

-6.43%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.43

$3.43 A$4.81

33.53%

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

$2.96 A$4.15

$2.94 A$4.12

0.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.25

$2.53 A$3.55

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.18

$8.49 A$11.93

2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.20

$8.59 A$12.07

1.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.47

$1.12 A$1.57

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.23

$2.78 A$3.90

8.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.96

$2.31 A$3.25

-8.66%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.34

$3.64 A$5.12

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.74

$9.50 A$13.33

-4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.90

$8.05 A$11.30

14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.11

$14.28 A$20.05

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.64

$2.90 A$4.07

63.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.66

$1.40 A$1.96

137.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.91

$2.92 A$4.10

19.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.19

$4.96 A$6.96

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.08

$2.20 A$3.09

31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.70

$2.33 A$3.27

-17.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.20

$1.81 A$2.55

25.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.17 A$1.64

17.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.3

$30.65 A$43.03

40.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$17.96

$12.89 A$18.10

-0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.26

$5.46 A$7.67

-18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.04

$5.17 A$7.26

-30.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.60

$3.48 A$4.88

-26.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$95.3 A$134

6.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.23

$3.12 A$4.38

19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.01

$1.83 A$2.57

-21.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$58.8

$41.22 A$57.9

1.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.88

$1.35 A$1.90

-0.74%

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

$28.0K A$39.4K

$28.4K A$39.9K

-1.35%

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

$30.3K A$42.5K

$25.3K A$35.5K

19.93%

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

$205 A$288

$172 A$241

19.08%

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

$34.01 A$47.76

$27.97 A$39.27

21.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$88.8

$50.3 A$70.6

25.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.3

$56.9 A$79.9

-0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.19

$16.58 A$23.29

33.96%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.50

$12.05 A$16.92

50.71%

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

$2,378 A$3,339

$686 A$963

246.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.3K

$3,205 A$4,500

640.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$107

$84.1 A$118

-9.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$94.6

$43.02 A$60.4

56.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$115 A$161

5.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$209

$112 A$158

32.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,725

$1,444 A$2,028

34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,321

$1,220 A$1,713

35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,004

$2,332 A$3,275

22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,167

$1,841 A$2,585

22.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.8K

$6,274 A$8,811

34.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,513

$4,818 A$6,766

25.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$5,994

$2,560 A$3,595

66.74%

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 Grafton: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,444 in Grafton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 67% 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: $87.0 in Perth vs $79.0 in Grafton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $330 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 26% in total monthly costs ($3,096 vs $2,452 including rent). Grafton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $1,941 in Perth versus $1,444 in Grafton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 $79.0 versus $87.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Grafton 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 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 26% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.