Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Karratha Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Karratha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,097 per month in Perth vs $2,750 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,250 per month in Perth vs $3,929 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,404 per month in Perth vs $5,109 in Karratha, rent included.

Perth costs about 13% more than Karratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Karratha sit above the global median – Perth by 125%, Karratha by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.52 A$28.41

$30.86 A$42.73

-33.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 A$118

$86.4 A$120

-1.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 A$14.93

$10.15 A$14.05

6.21%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.21

$4.08 A$5.64

9.80%

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

$2.91 A$4.04

$3.40 A$4.70

-14.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.15

$2.58 A$3.57

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 A$11.95

$8.08 A$11.19

6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 A$12.01

$7.38 A$10.21

17.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.41

$1.70 A$2.35

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 A$4.46

$2.79 A$3.86

15.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.93

$2.32 A$3.21

-8.62%

Eggs

$5.47 A$7.58

$5.17 A$7.16

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 A$13.19

$9.38 A$12.99

1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.39

$9.69 A$13.41

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 A$19.89

$14.86 A$20.57

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 A$6.65

$3.58 A$4.96

34.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.48

$3.19 A$4.41

1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.96

$3.40 A$4.70

5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.34

$4.76 A$6.59

11.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.15

$2.64 A$3.65

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.72

$2.42 A$3.35

-19.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.35

$2.43 A$3.37

-0.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.88

$1.61 A$2.23

-15.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.56 A$60.3

$39.80 A$55.1

9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 A$18.30

$14.38 A$19.91

-8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.34

$5.02 A$6.95

-8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.87

$5.29 A$7.32

-33.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.54

$3.15 A$4.37

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 A$142

$87.6 A$121

17.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.23

$3.65 A$5.05

3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.09

$1.62 A$2.24

-6.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 A$58.7

$40.59 A$56.2

4.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.26 A$1.74

7.14%

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

$28.8K A$39.9K

$28.5K A$39.5K

1.05%

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

$31.2K A$43.2K

$31.4K A$43.4K

-0.49%

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

$207 A$287

$210 A$291

-1.59%

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

$34.58 A$47.88

$28.18 A$39.01

22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 A$86.9

$58.2 A$80.6

7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 A$78.4

$58.5 A$80.9

-3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.54 A$31.21

$18.66 A$25.83

20.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 A$24.79

$15.66 A$21.69

14.37%

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

$2,360 A$3,267

$2,193 A$3,037

7.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$32.8K

$21.3K A$29.4K

11.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 A$107

$79.3 A$110

-2.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 A$91.9

$55.2 A$76.4

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$171

$112 A$156

10.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 A$216

$125 A$174

24.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,754

$1,481 A$2,050

34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 A$2,262

$1,297 A$1,795

25.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 A$3,993

$2,256 A$3,124

27.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,163

$1,848 A$2,559

23.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,466 A$11.7K

$6,761 A$9,361

25.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 A$8,534

$5,120 A$7,089

20.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,375 A$6,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.85

1.20%

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

Last update for Perth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Karratha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,989 in Perth versus $1,481 in Karratha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Perth versus $86.0 in Karratha. Groceries tell a different story – $380 in Perth vs $377 in Karratha – so Karratha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Karratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,097 in Perth, $2,750 in Karratha – roughly 13% apart. Perth costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,645 per month in Perth and $4,124 in Karratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,097 in Perth and $2,750 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Karratha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,097 in Perth and $2,750 in Karratha. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Karratha – 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 Karratha. 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.