Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Kalgoorlie Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Kalgoorlie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,344 in Perth versus $1,760 in Kalgoorlie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,449 in Perth versus $3,038 in Kalgoorlie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in Perth versus $4,315 in Kalgoorlie.

Living in Perth is roughly 33% more expensive than in Kalgoorlie, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Kalgoorlie 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.77

$16.28 A$23.10

-1.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 A$110

$77.2 A$109

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 A$15.01

$9.67 A$13.72

9.41%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.15

$4.30 A$6.11

-15.58%

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

$2.48 A$3.52

$3.51 A$4.98

-29.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.80

$3.33 A$4.72

-40.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.57 A$10.74

$6.02 A$8.54

25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 A$9.24

$6.94 A$9.84

-6.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.08

$1.48 A$2.10

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.37

$3.29 A$4.66

-27.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.76

$1.96 A$2.78

-0.51%

Eggs

$4.45 A$6.31

$3.98 A$5.65

11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.25

$8.47 A$12.02

1.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 A$11.73

$8.20 A$11.64

0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.87

$13.58 A$19.27

3.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$5.03

$3.34 A$4.74

6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.17

$2.73 A$3.88

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.00

$2.89 A$4.11

-2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 A$6.48

$4.17 A$5.91

9.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 A$3.42

$2.43 A$3.45

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.46

$2.19 A$3.11

-21.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 A$2.73

$1.90 A$2.70

1.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 A$2.06

$1.56 A$2.22

-7.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.08 A$45.52

$31.11 A$44.14

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 A$19.05

$13.92 A$19.74

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 A$5.60

$4.61 A$6.54

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 A$5.98

$5.26 A$7.46

-19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 A$4.32

$2.54 A$3.60

19.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.2 A$103

$64.8 A$91.9

11.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 A$5.73

$3.67 A$5.21

10.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 A$3.05

$1.62 A$2.30

32.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.61 A$70.4

$33.51 A$47.55

48.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.60

$1.26 A$1.79

-11.11%

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

$28.3K A$40.2K

$28.5K A$40.4K

-0.47%

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

$23.9K A$33.9K

$22.9K A$32.5K

4.39%

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

$158 A$225

$287 A$407

-44.86%

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

$28.01 A$39.74

$51.0 A$72.4

-45.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 A$77.2

$64.8 A$91.9

-15.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.05 A$58.3

$35.22 A$49.97

16.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 A$22.64

$15.69 A$22.26

1.72%

Cinema Ticket

$16.15 A$22.92

$16.29 A$23.11

-0.86%

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

$1,797 A$2,550

$1,645 A$2,334

9.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.1K

-0.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 A$97.9

$68.0 A$96.5

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 A$68.1

$50.1 A$71.1

-4.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$143

$98.2 A$139

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$107 A$151

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 A$2,130

$1,251 A$1,775

19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 A$1,605

$461 A$654

145.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 A$3,538

$1,580 A$2,242

57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,812 A$2,570

$1,449 A$2,056

25.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,461 A$12.0K

$5,961 A$8,458

41.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,611 A$7,962

$5,057 A$7,175

10.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,318 A$6,127

$6,041 A$8,571

-28.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.34

1.26%

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

Last update for Perth: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kalgoorlie: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,501 in Perth and $1,251 in Kalgoorlie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kalgoorlie pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Perth vs $77.0 in Kalgoorlie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $344 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 Kalgoorlie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalgoorlie wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kalgoorlie the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Kalgoorlie. 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: $1,501 in Perth versus $1,251 in Kalgoorlie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kalgoorlie runs roughly 12% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,797 in Perth versus $1,645 in Kalgoorlie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,760 in Kalgoorlie versus $2,344 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kalgoorlie but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Kalgoorlie 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 Kalgoorlie 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 Kalgoorlie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.