Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Launceston Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Launceston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,311 in Perth versus $2,066 in Launceston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,428 in Perth versus $2,928 in Launceston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,545 in Perth versus $3,791 in Launceston.

Living in Perth is roughly 12% more expensive than Launceston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 72% above, Launceston 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 A$22.71

$16.36 A$23.12

-1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 A$109

$68.2 A$96.4

13.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 A$14.76

$8.03 A$11.34

30.14%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.26

$3.13 A$4.42

18.85%

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

$2.45 A$3.47

$1.28 A$1.81

91.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.80

$1.78 A$2.52

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 A$10.76

$5.68 A$8.03

33.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 A$9.41

$6.62 A$9.35

0.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.04

$1.67 A$2.36

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.41

$1.80 A$2.54

33.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.73

$1.70 A$2.40

14.12%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.22

$2.95 A$4.17

49.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 A$11.96

$11.10 A$15.68

-23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 A$11.53

$8.77 A$12.40

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 A$19.44

$16.26 A$22.97

-15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 A$4.91

$3.15 A$4.45

10.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.15

$3.08 A$4.35

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.13

$3.29 A$4.65

-11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 A$6.51

$4.70 A$6.64

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.59

$2.89 A$4.09

-12.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 A$2.54

$2.27 A$3.21

-20.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 A$2.85

$2.77 A$3.91

-27.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.06

$1.98 A$2.80

-26.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.72 A$44.82

$24.59 A$34.75

29.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 A$18.06

$14.51 A$20.51

-11.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.32

$5.28 A$7.46

-28.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 A$5.96

$5.50 A$7.78

-23.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.15

$3.28 A$4.63

-10.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 A$100

$51.9 A$73.3

36.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 A$5.65

$4.34 A$6.14

-7.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 A$3.03

$1.81 A$2.56

18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.61 A$70.1

$28.73 A$40.60

72.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.59

$1.15 A$1.63

-1.74%

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

$29.2K A$41.3K

-0.01%

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

$24.0K A$34.0K

$27.8K A$39.2K

-13.37%

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

$159 A$225

$270 A$382

-41.10%

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

$27.87 A$39.38

$30.25 A$42.74

-7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$78.6

$50.6 A$71.5

10.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.11 A$59.5

$48.14 A$68.0

-12.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 A$22.51

$15.47 A$21.86

2.97%

Cinema Ticket

$16.15 A$22.83

$16.02 A$22.63

0.81%

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

$1,797 A$2,540

$1,719 A$2,429

4.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.0K

$28.3K A$40.0K

-57.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$101

$65.3 A$92.3

9.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 A$67.8

$53.0 A$74.8

-9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$144

$110 A$155

-6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$113 A$160

-7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 A$2,116

$1,076 A$1,521

39.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 A$1,660

$747 A$1,055

57.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 A$3,642

$1,237 A$1,748

108.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 A$2,585

$1,060 A$1,498

72.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,927 A$9,788

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,311 A$7,505

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 A$6,200

$5,335 A$7,538

-17.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.5

-1.23%

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

Last update for Perth: June 9, 2026

Last update for Launceston: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,498 in Perth and $1,076 in Launceston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Launceston pays 22% 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 $68.0 in Launceston. Groceries flip the comparison at $331 vs $365, with Perth cheaper for home cooking.

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 Launceston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Launceston wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Launceston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Launceston earns 22% less. 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: $1,498 in Perth versus $1,076 in Launceston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Launceston – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $77.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,311 per month in Perth versus $2,066 in Launceston – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,066 in Launceston versus $2,311 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Launceston but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Launceston 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 Launceston 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 Launceston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.