Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Margaret River

For one person, living is cheaper in Margaret River: $2,642 a month against $3,053 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Perth
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Perth Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Margaret River
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Margaret River Living Index

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Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,053

/mo nomad

Margaret River

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,642

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Margaret River

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 Margaret River actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,053 per month in Perth vs $2,642 in Margaret River, rent included.

Perth $3,053
Margaret River $2,642

A couple spends around $4,180 per month in Perth vs $3,774 in Margaret River, rent included.

Perth $4,180
Margaret River $3,774

A family of three spends $5,307 per month in Perth vs $4,907 in Margaret River, rent included.

Perth $5,307
Margaret River $4,907

Perth costs about 16% more than Margaret River, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Perth and Margaret River sit above the global median – Perth by 126%, Margaret River by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.83 A$29.70

$20.91 A$29.81

-0.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 A$122

$84.1 A$120

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 A$14.95

$10.91 A$15.56

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$4.51 A$6.43

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

$2.85 A$4.06

$2.92 A$4.16

-2.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 A$3.14

$2.22 A$3.17

-0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.65 A$12.33

$8.27 A$11.80

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.62 A$12.29

$8.36 A$11.92

3.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 A$2.52

$1.74 A$2.48

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 A$4.58

$3.10 A$4.41

3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.85

$2.06 A$2.94

-2.91%

Eggs

$5.28 A$7.53

$5.17 A$7.37

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 A$13.13

$9.34 A$13.31

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 A$12.98

$9.30 A$13.26

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 A$21.14

$14.12 A$20.13

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 A$6.35

$4.67 A$6.66

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.62

$3.15 A$4.49

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.89

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 A$6.81

$4.78 A$6.82

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.12

$2.83 A$4.03

2.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.74

$1.91 A$2.72

0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.06

$2.20 A$3.13

-2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.96

$1.41 A$2.01

-2.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$41.37 A$59.0

$42.03 A$59.9

-1.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 A$17.62

$12.83 A$18.30

-3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.73

$4.36 A$6.21

8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 A$4.75

$3.53 A$5.03

-5.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 A$3.42

$2.72 A$3.87

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 A$141

$84.9 A$121

16.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.68

$3.54 A$5.04

12.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.16

$1.41 A$2.01

7.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.81 A$62.5

$40.36 A$57.5

8.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 A$1.98

$1.43 A$2.04

-2.80%

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

$30.3K A$43.2K

$30.6K A$43.7K

-0.96%

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

$27.9K A$39.7K

$28.1K A$40.1K

-0.85%

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

$199 A$284

$202 A$287

-1.08%

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

$33.29 A$47.45

$32.62 A$46.50

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 A$88.9

$64.3 A$91.6

-2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 A$75.3

$56.9 A$81.1

-7.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 A$29.40

$17.68 A$25.20

16.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.70 A$25.23

$17.47 A$24.91

1.32%

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

$2,249 A$3,206

$2,300 A$3,278

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.9K A$46.9K

$23.4K A$33.3K

40.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 A$113

$78.6 A$112

0.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 A$91.9

$63.2 A$90.0

2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$174

$124 A$176

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 A$226

$164 A$234

-3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 A$2,881

$1,387 A$1,977

45.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 A$2,364

$1,253 A$1,786

32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,804 A$3,997

$2,279 A$3,249

23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,174 A$3,099

$1,798 A$2,563

20.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,368 A$11.9K

$5,747 A$8,193

45.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,211 A$8,855

$4,919 A$7,013

26.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 A$5,943

$2,984 A$4,254

39.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.96

-1.01%

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

Last update for Perth: November 2, 2026

Last update for Margaret River: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Perth

$1.7K 54.3%

Margaret River

$1.3K 47.4% 24.4% $405

Groceries & Markets

Perth

$368 12.1%

Margaret River

$367 13.9% 0.5% $1.9

Eating Out

Perth

$333 10.9%

Margaret River

$333 12.6% 0% $0.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perth

$295 9.7%

Margaret River

$299 11.3% 1.1% $3.4

Clothing & Footwear

Perth

$191 6.2%

Margaret River

$193 7.3% 1.3% $2.5

Getting Around

Perth

$120 3.9%

Margaret River

$106 4% 11.4% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Perth

$88 2.9%

Margaret River

$92 3.5% 4.1% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,021 in Perth versus $1,387 in Margaret River. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Perth. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Perth versus $84 in Margaret River. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $367 – making Margaret River the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Perth

🇦🇺 Margaret River

🕒 Local time

02:41 2:41 AM

Same time as Perth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,043,762

8,000

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.701 USD

1 AUD = 0.626 EUR

1 AUD = 0.701 USD

1 AUD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Perth Margaret River 230 km

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Perth
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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 Margaret River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perth is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,580 per month in Perth and $3,963 in Margaret River. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Margaret River, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,387 there versus $2,021 in Perth.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Margaret River. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,249 per month in Perth and $2,300 in Margaret River. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,053 in Perth and $2,642 in Margaret River. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Perth has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,642 in Margaret River to $3,053 in Perth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Margaret River. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Perth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.