Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Hervey Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Hervey Bay: $2,395 a month against $3,019 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Perth
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Perth Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Hervey Bay
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Hervey Bay Living Index

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Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,019

/mo nomad

Hervey Bay

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,395

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Hervey Bay

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Perth and in Hervey Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,019 per month in Perth vs $2,395 in Hervey Bay, rent included.

Perth $3,019
Hervey Bay $2,395

A couple spends around $4,128 per month in Perth vs $3,441 in Hervey Bay, rent included.

Perth $4,128
Hervey Bay $3,441

A family of three spends $5,236 per month in Perth vs $4,487 in Hervey Bay, rent included.

Perth $5,236
Hervey Bay $4,487

Perth costs about 26% more than Hervey Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Perth and Hervey Bay sit above the global median – Perth by 124%, Hervey Bay by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 A$28.92

$17.74 A$25.52

13.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 A$120

$70.4 A$101

18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 A$15.17

$10.71 A$15.42

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$4.37 A$6.28

$3.72 A$5.35

17.47%

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

$2.82 A$4.06

$2.89 A$4.17

-2.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.23

$2.28 A$3.29

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 A$11.94

$5.82 A$8.38

42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 A$12.05

$8.27 A$11.90

1.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 A$2.56

$1.61 A$2.32

10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 A$4.54

$2.62 A$3.76

20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.84

$2.23 A$3.21

-11.66%

Eggs

$5.22 A$7.51

$4.87 A$7.00

7.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 A$13.45

$9.25 A$13.31

1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 A$13.21

$9.04 A$13.01

1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 A$20.26

$14.11 A$20.31

-0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 A$6.61

$4.15 A$5.97

10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.67

$3.09 A$4.45

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.78

$2.88 A$4.15

15.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 A$7.11

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.20

$2.86 A$4.11

2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 A$2.75

$2.35 A$3.38

-18.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 A$3.34

$2.29 A$3.29

1.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.96

$1.23 A$1.78

10.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$41.10 A$59.1

$37.81 A$54.4

8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 A$18.24

$12.31 A$17.72

3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 A$6.22

$5.17 A$7.44

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 A$4.86

$5.13 A$7.38

-34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 A$3.56

$2.95 A$4.24

-15.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 A$139

$78.8 A$113

22.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 A$5.05

$3.03 A$4.35

15.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.98

$1.78 A$2.56

-22.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.16 A$59.2

$41.31 A$59.4

-0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 A$2.02

$1.45 A$2.09

-3.45%

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

$26.8K A$38.5K

$26.9K A$38.7K

-0.53%

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

$29.9K A$43.0K

$28.4K A$40.9K

5.05%

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

$196 A$282

$159 A$229

23.28%

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

$33.08 A$47.60

$25.97 A$37.37

27.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 A$89.3

$59.6 A$85.8

4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.2 A$83.7

$58.1 A$83.6

0.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

$19.78 A$28.46

8.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.57 A$25.29

$17.66 A$25.41

-0.51%

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

$2,323 A$3,342

$1,949 A$2,804

19.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K A$32.9K

$12.3K A$17.7K

85.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 A$110

$62.2 A$89.5

23.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.8 A$94.7

$44.70 A$64.3

47.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$173

$61.9 A$89.1

94.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 A$233

$62.2 A$89.5

160.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 A$2,789

$1,391 A$2,001

39.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 A$2,356

$1,206 A$1,736

35.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,740 A$3,943

$2,157 A$3,104

27.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,134 A$3,070

$1,825 A$2,627

16.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,328 A$12.0K

$5,692 A$8,191

46.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,152 A$8,852

$5,053 A$7,271

21.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,288 A$6,171

$2,791 A$4,016

53.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

5.81

1.72%

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

Last update for Perth: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hervey Bay: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Perth

$1.6K 54.2%

Hervey Bay

$1.2K 50.4% 26.3% $431

Groceries & Markets

Perth

$367 12.1%

Hervey Bay

$359 15% 1.9% $7.1

Eating Out

Perth

$323 10.7%

Hervey Bay

$285 11.9% 11.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perth

$291 9.6%

Hervey Bay

$245 10.2% 16% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Perth

$191 6.3%

Hervey Bay

$104 4.3% 45.6% $87

Getting Around

Perth

$117 3.9%

Hervey Bay

$103 4.3% 12.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Perth

$93 3.1%

Hervey Bay

$93 3.9% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,938 in Perth versus $1,391 in Hervey Bay. 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 54% 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 $83.0 in Perth versus $70.0 in Hervey Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $359 – making Hervey Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Perth

🇦🇺 Hervey Bay

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

18:03 6:03 PM

2 h ahead of Perth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,043,762

57,722

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Perth Hervey Bay 3,670 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Perth
Hervey Bay

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hervey Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perth is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,529 per month in Perth and $3,592 in Hervey Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,323 per month in Perth and $1,949 in Hervey Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Perth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Hervey Bay, where all-in costs run around $2,395, than in Perth at $3,019. In Hervey Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hervey Bay – 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 Hervey Bay. 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.