Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Launceston, Australia

For one person, living is cheaper in Launceston: $1,980 a month against $3,053 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Perth, Australia
Launceston, Australia
Perth
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,053
/mo nomad
Launceston
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,980
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Launceston

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Perth and in Launceston actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,053 in Perth versus $1,980 in Launceston.

  • Perth $3,053
  • Launceston $1,980

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,181 in Perth versus $2,837 in Launceston.

  • Perth $4,181
  • Launceston $2,837

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Perth versus $3,693 in Launceston.

  • Perth $5,309
  • Launceston $3,693

Living in Perth is roughly 54% more expensive than in Launceston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 124% above, Launceston 46% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.83 A$29.75
$17.76 A$25.36
17.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.3 A$122
$73.4 A$105
16.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.48 A$14.97
$8.22 A$11.73
27.49%
Cappuccino
$4.51 A$6.44
$3.29 A$4.70
37.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 A$4.07
$1.44 A$2.05
97.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 A$3.14
$2.23 A$3.19
-1.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.65 A$12.36
$6.15 A$8.78
40.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.62 A$12.31
$7.10 A$10.14
21.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 A$2.53
$1.80 A$2.57
-1.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.21 A$4.59
$2.48 A$3.54
29.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 A$2.85
$1.23 A$1.76
62.60%
Eggs
$5.28 A$7.54
$3.67 A$5.24
43.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.21 A$13.16
$9.85 A$14.06
-6.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.11 A$13.00
$8.47 A$12.10
7.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.83 A$21.18
$10.32 A$14.74
43.70%
Apples (1kg)
$4.45 A$6.36
$2.74 A$3.91
62.41%
Banana (1kg)
$3.24 A$4.63
$2.78 A$3.97
16.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 A$4.90
$2.77 A$3.95
23.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.78 A$6.82
$4.72 A$6.74
1.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.89 A$4.13
$2.04 A$2.91
41.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 A$2.75
$1.42 A$2.03
35.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 A$3.06
$2.55 A$3.64
-16.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 A$1.96
$0.53 A$0.76
158.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$41.37 A$59.1
$35.52 A$50.7
16.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.36 A$17.65
$14.68 A$20.96
-15.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.72 A$6.74
$5.09 A$7.26
-7.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 A$4.76
$5.59 A$7.99
-40.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth
Launceston
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.40 A$3.43
$3.51 A$5.02
-31.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.9 A$141
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 A$5.69
$3.89 A$5.55
2.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 A$2.16
$1.75 A$2.50
-13.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.81 A$62.6
$31.75 A$45.35
37.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 A$1.98
$1.26 A$1.80
10.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K A$43.3K
$28.8K A$41.2K
5.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K A$39.8K
$34.0K A$48.6K
-18.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 A$285
$223 A$319
-10.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.29 A$47.54
$29.26 A$41.79
13.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.4 A$89.1
$54.7 A$78.1
14.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 A$75.4
$48.98 A$70.0
7.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.62 A$29.45
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.70 A$25.28
$17.13 A$24.46
3.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,249 A$3,211
$1,998 A$2,854
12.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.9K A$46.9K
$18.5K A$26.5K
77.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 A$113
$78.7 A$112
0.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.4 A$92.0
$54.8 A$78.3
17.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 A$174
$105 A$150
15.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 A$226
$127 A$181
24.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth
Launceston
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,021 A$2,887
$1,153 A$1,646
75.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,658 A$2,368
$811 A$1,158
104.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,804 A$4,004
$1,623 A$2,317
72.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,174 A$3,104
$1,137 A$1,624
91.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,368 A$12.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,211 A$8,870
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth
Launceston
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,169 A$5,953
$6,723 A$9,601
-37.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
6
-1.67%

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

Last update for Perth: November 2, 2026

Last update for Launceston: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Perth
$1.7K
Launceston
$811 51.1% $847
Groceries & Markets
Perth
$368
Launceston
$322 12.7% $47
Eating Out
Perth
$333
Launceston
$266 20.2% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
$295
Launceston
$307 4% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Perth
$191
Launceston
$165 13.7% $26
Getting Around
Perth
$120
Launceston
$27 * 77.8% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Perth
$88
Launceston
$83 5.7% $5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,006 in Perth and $1,153 in Launceston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Launceston pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86 in Perth vs $73 in Launceston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $322 per month, with Launceston cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Perth
🇦🇺 Launceston
🕒 Local time
19:30 7:30 PM
22:30 10:30 PM
3 h ahead of Perth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,043,762
80,943
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Perth Launceston 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Perth
  • Launceston

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Perth or Launceston?
Launceston wins on cost – living expenses run 35% 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.
Are salaries higher in Perth or in Launceston?
On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Perth. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Perth compared to Launceston?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,006 in Perth versus $1,153 in Launceston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Perth or in Launceston?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Perth compared to Launceston?
All in, you’ll spend $3,053 per month in Perth versus $1,980 in Launceston – Launceston is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Perth or Launceston?
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.
How safe is Perth compared to Launceston?
Safety-wise, Perth and Launceston are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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