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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,332 per month in Perth vs $2,363 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,411 per month in Perth vs $3,422 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,490 per month in Perth vs $4,482 in Karratha, rent included.

Perth is about 1% cheaper than Karratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Karratha sit above the global median – Perth by 75%, Karratha by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.69

$28.01 A$40.11

-40.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 A$114

$78.6 A$112

1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 A$14.70

$8.84 A$12.66

16.18%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.32

$3.62 A$5.19

2.76%

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

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.99 A$4.28

-13.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.76

$2.25 A$3.23

-14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.69 A$11.01

$6.60 A$9.45

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.67 A$9.56

$6.91 A$9.90

-3.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.07

$1.44 A$2.06

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 A$3.51

$2.37 A$3.39

3.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.87

$1.97 A$2.82

1.52%

Eggs

$4.62 A$6.61

$4.43 A$6.34

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 A$12.26

$8.66 A$12.40

-1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.98

$8.52 A$12.20

-1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 A$19.59

$13.45 A$19.26

1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.94

$3.29 A$4.71

4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 A$4.20

$2.77 A$3.97

5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.11

$2.90 A$4.15

-1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 A$6.86

$4.14 A$5.93

15.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 A$3.46

$2.41 A$3.45

0.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 A$2.43

$2.17 A$3.11

-21.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.75

$2.17 A$3.10

-11.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.16

$1.58 A$2.26

-4.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.75 A$45.47

$31.34 A$44.88

1.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 A$18.71

$13.40 A$19.18

-2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 A$5.48

$4.60 A$6.58

-16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 A$5.90

$5.45 A$7.81

-24.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 A$4.38

$2.54 A$3.64

20.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 A$104

$65.7 A$94.1

10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 A$5.82

$3.67 A$5.25

10.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 A$3.18

$1.59 A$2.28

39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.73 A$71.2

$33.34 A$47.74

49.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.61

$1.18 A$1.69

-4.24%

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

$28.8K A$41.3K

$28.9K A$41.4K

-0.18%

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

$24.1K A$34.6K

$22.2K A$31.7K

8.88%

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

$158 A$227

$182 A$261

-13.03%

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

$28.54 A$40.86

$27.15 A$38.88

5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 A$77.7

$51.8 A$74.2

4.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.40 A$59.3

$48.09 A$68.9

-13.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.60 A$22.33

$15.64 A$22.39

-0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$16.53 A$23.67

$12.89 A$18.45

28.24%

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

$1,823 A$2,610

$1,629 A$2,332

11.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$17.4K

$11.9K A$17.0K

2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$99.2

$68.9 A$98.6

0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.31 A$69.2

$51.3 A$73.5

-5.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$148

$99.8 A$143

3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$108 A$154

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 A$2,128

$1,282 A$1,835

15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 A$1,669

$1,048 A$1,500

11.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 A$3,622

$2,012 A$2,881

25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 A$2,566

$1,691 A$2,421

6.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,178 A$11.7K

$6,518 A$9,334

25.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,804 A$8,311

$5,812 A$8,323

-0.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,287 A$6,138

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 20, 2026

Last update for Karratha: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,486 in Perth versus $1,282 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 $80.0 in Perth versus $79.0 in Karratha. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Perth vs $338 in Karratha – so Perth 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: $2,332 in Perth, $2,363 in Karratha – roughly 1% apart. Karratha costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,498 per month in Perth and $3,544 in Karratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perth, 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 $2,332 in Perth and $2,363 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Perth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Perth, where all-in costs run around $2,332, than in Karratha at $2,363. In Perth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karratha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perth – 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 Perth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karratha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.