Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Hawkesbury City Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Hawkesbury City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,097 in Perth versus $2,681 in Hawkesbury City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Perth versus $3,860 in Hawkesbury City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,404 in Perth versus $5,038 in Hawkesbury City.

Living in Perth is roughly 15% more expensive than in Hawkesbury City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 125% above, Hawkesbury City 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.52 A$28.61

$20.03 A$27.92

2.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 A$119

$92.7 A$129

-8.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 A$15.04

$10.82 A$15.09

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.05 A$5.64

10.62%

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

$2.91 A$4.06

$3.13 A$4.36

-7.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.82 A$3.93

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 A$12.03

$8.70 A$12.13

-0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 A$12.10

$10.18 A$14.19

-14.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$1.66 A$2.31

4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.40 A$4.74

-5.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.95

$2.63 A$3.67

-19.39%

Eggs

$5.47 A$7.63

$5.54 A$7.72

-1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 A$13.29

$14.19 A$19.79

-32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$11.11 A$15.48

-12.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 A$20.03

$16.23 A$22.62

-11.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.98 A$5.56

20.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.30 A$4.60

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.71 A$5.17

-3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.39

$5.23 A$7.29

1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$3.29 A$4.59

-8.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$2.88 A$4.01

-31.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.81 A$3.91

-13.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.89

$1.45 A$2.03

-6.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.56 A$60.7

$46.74 A$65.2

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 A$18.43

$14.66 A$20.44

-9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.39

$4.87 A$6.79

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.90

$5.80 A$8.09

-39.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.56

$3.18 A$4.44

-19.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 A$143

$85.5 A$119

20.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.26

$4.24 A$5.91

-11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.66 A$2.31

-9.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 A$59.1

$45.03 A$62.8

-5.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.31 A$1.82

3.05%

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

$28.8K A$40.2K

$27.9K A$38.9K

3.28%

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

$31.2K A$43.5K

$30.9K A$43.1K

0.97%

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

$207 A$289

$189 A$264

9.36%

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

$34.58 A$48.21

$27.56 A$38.42

25.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 A$87.6

$57.2 A$79.8

9.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 A$78.9

$57.3 A$79.8

-1.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.54 A$31.43

$18.17 A$25.34

24.05%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 A$24.96

$16.56 A$23.09

8.15%

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

$2,360 A$3,290

$2,461 A$3,431

-4.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.0K

$20.8K A$29.1K

13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 A$107

$79.2 A$110

-2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 A$92.5

$58.6 A$81.6

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$122 A$171

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 A$218

$136 A$189

15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,774

$1,439 A$2,006

38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 A$2,278

$1,308 A$1,824

24.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 A$4,021

$2,269 A$3,163

27.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,185

$1,863 A$2,598

22.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,466 A$11.8K

$6,673 A$9,303

26.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 A$8,594

$5,147 A$7,176

19.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,375 A$6,100

$4,570 A$6,372

-4.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.95

-0.50%

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

Last update for Perth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hawkesbury City: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,989 in Perth and $1,439 in Hawkesbury City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hawkesbury City pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Perth vs $93.0 in Hawkesbury City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $420 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 Hawkesbury City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawkesbury City wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hawkesbury City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Hawkesbury City. 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: $1,989 in Perth versus $1,439 in Hawkesbury City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hawkesbury City – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $85.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.