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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,310 per month in Perth vs $2,253 in Katoomba, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Perth vs $3,336 in Katoomba, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,402 per month in Perth vs $4,419 in Katoomba, rent included.

Perth costs about 3% more than Katoomba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Perth and Katoomba sit above the global median – Perth by 73%, Katoomba by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$16.54 A$23.15

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$77.0 A$108

0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$9.50 A$13.30

11.16%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.01 A$4.22

20.93%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.65 A$3.71

-4.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

$1.90 A$2.67

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$5.76 A$8.06

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$7.39 A$10.34

-12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$0.85 A$1.19

72.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.67 A$3.74

-12.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.83 A$2.56

9.84%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$4.25 A$5.95

6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$9.68 A$13.55

-13.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$8.91 A$12.47

-8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$14.76 A$20.67

-5.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$3.33 A$4.67

6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$2.85 A$3.99

2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$3.01 A$4.22

-5.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$4.63 A$6.48

2.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.37 A$3.31

5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.18 A$3.05

-20.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$2.38 A$3.33

-19.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.35 A$1.89

8.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$30.65 A$42.91

6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$14.65 A$20.52

-25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$5.25 A$7.35

-26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$6.08 A$8.52

-33.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$2.54 A$3.56

15.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$64.6 A$90.4

10.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$3.90 A$5.47

2.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.80 A$2.52

22.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$40.50 A$56.7

24.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.14 A$1.60

1.75%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$28.5K A$39.8K

0.40%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$22.9K A$32.0K

6.25%

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

$154 A$215

$225 A$314

-31.48%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$29.72 A$41.60

-7.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$51.3 A$71.8

8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$49.43 A$69.2

-16.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$16.02 A$22.43

-1.56%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$13.76 A$19.27

19.04%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$1,713 A$2,399

4.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$13.3K A$18.6K

-7.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$71.2 A$99.6

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$56.3 A$78.8

-13.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$99.8 A$140

2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$116 A$162

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,251 A$1,751

22.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,059 A$1,482

9.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$1,978 A$2,769

25.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,703 A$2,384

4.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$6,023 A$8,433

7.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$4,991 A$6,987

-1.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.29

2.07%

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

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Last update for Katoomba: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,527 in Perth versus $1,251 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 $77.0 in Perth versus $77.0 in Katoomba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $351 – 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: $2,310 in Perth, $2,253 in Katoomba – roughly 3% apart. Perth costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,466 per month in Perth and $3,379 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 $2,310 in Perth and $2,253 in Katoomba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Katoomba, where all-in costs run around $2,253, than in Perth at $2,310. In Katoomba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.