Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Katoomba Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Katoomba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,097 per month in Perth vs $2,609 in Katoomba, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,250 per month in Perth vs $3,822 in Katoomba, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,404 per month in Perth vs $5,035 in Katoomba, rent included.

Perth costs about 19% more than Katoomba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Katoomba sit above the global median – Perth by 125%, Katoomba by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.52 A$28.68

$17.77 A$24.84

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 A$119

$87.1 A$122

-2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 A$15.07

$10.88 A$15.21

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.27

$3.30 A$4.62

35.76%

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

$2.91 A$4.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.12 A$2.96

7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 A$12.06

$6.41 A$8.95

34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 A$12.13

$8.54 A$11.94

1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.43

$1.67 A$2.34

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 A$4.50

$3.30 A$4.61

-2.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.96

$2.61 A$3.65

-18.77%

Eggs

$5.47 A$7.65

$5.50 A$7.69

-0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 A$13.32

$13.94 A$19.49

-31.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.52

$11.05 A$15.44

-12.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 A$20.08

$16.56 A$23.15

-13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 A$6.71

$4.07 A$5.70

17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.52

$3.28 A$4.58

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 A$5.01

$3.51 A$4.91

1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.41

$5.12 A$7.16

3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.19

$3.29 A$4.60

-8.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$2.80 A$3.92

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.38

$2.77 A$3.87

-12.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.90

$1.51 A$2.10

-9.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.56 A$60.9

$45.54 A$63.7

-4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 A$18.48

$14.74 A$20.60

-10.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.40

$4.77 A$6.67

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.92

$5.52 A$7.72

-36.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.57

$3.20 A$4.47

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 A$144

$86.4 A$121

19.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.28

$4.18 A$5.84

-9.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.60 A$2.24

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 A$59.2

$43.85 A$61.3

-3.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.30 A$1.82

3.85%

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

$28.8K A$40.3K

$27.7K A$38.7K

4.14%

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

$31.2K A$43.6K

$31.1K A$43.4K

0.39%

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

$207 A$289

$190 A$266

8.74%

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

$34.58 A$48.34

$27.95 A$39.07

23.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 A$87.8

$58.0 A$81.1

8.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 A$79.1

$57.9 A$81.0

-2.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.54 A$31.51

$18.51 A$25.88

21.77%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 A$25.03

$16.81 A$23.50

6.54%

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

$2,360 A$3,299

$2,438 A$3,408

-3.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.1K

$21.0K A$29.4K

12.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 A$108

$79.9 A$112

-3.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 A$92.8

$58.4 A$81.6

13.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$125 A$174

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 A$218

$138 A$193

13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,781

$1,441 A$2,014

38.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 A$2,284

$1,295 A$1,810

26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 A$4,031

$2,287 A$3,196

26.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,193

$1,873 A$2,618

21.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,466 A$11.8K

$6,743 A$9,425

25.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 A$8,616

$5,112 A$7,146

20.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,375 A$6,116

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 Katoomba: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,989 in Perth versus $1,441 in Katoomba. 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 $87.0 in Katoomba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $418 – making Perth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Katoomba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,097 in Perth, $2,609 in Katoomba – roughly 19% 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 $3,914 in Katoomba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Katoomba, 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 $2,609 in Katoomba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Katoomba. 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 $2,609 in Katoomba. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Katoomba – 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 Katoomba. 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.