Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Mount Isa Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Mount Isa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,097 in Perth versus $2,611 in Mount Isa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Perth versus $3,726 in Mount Isa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,404 in Perth versus $4,842 in Mount Isa.

Living in Perth is roughly 19% more expensive than in Mount Isa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 125% above, Mount Isa 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.52 A$28.61

$18.08 A$25.20

13.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 A$119

$84.4 A$118

0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 A$15.04

$10.84 A$15.11

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$4.48 A$6.25

$4.13 A$5.76

8.47%

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

$2.91 A$4.06

$2.89 A$4.02

0.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.17

$2.32 A$3.24

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.63 A$12.03

$7.74 A$10.80

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 A$12.10

$7.37 A$10.28

17.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.42

$1.71 A$2.38

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 A$4.49

$2.68 A$3.73

20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.95

$2.34 A$3.26

-9.40%

Eggs

$5.47 A$7.63

$5.18 A$7.22

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 A$13.29

$9.28 A$12.94

2.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$9.50 A$13.25

1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 A$20.03

$15.17 A$21.15

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.70 A$5.16

29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.51

$3.05 A$4.26

6.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.37 A$4.70

6.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.39

$4.66 A$6.50

13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.63 A$3.66

14.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.74

$2.41 A$3.37

-18.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.52 A$3.51

-3.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 A$1.89

$1.70 A$2.37

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.56 A$60.7

$39.80 A$55.5

9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 A$18.43

$14.35 A$20.01

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.58 A$6.39

$5.02 A$6.99

-8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.90

$5.33 A$7.43

-33.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.56

$3.05 A$4.25

-16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 A$143

$86.7 A$121

18.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 A$5.26

$3.54 A$4.93

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 A$2.10

$1.60 A$2.24

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.37 A$59.1

$41.86 A$58.4

1.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.29 A$1.80

4.65%

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

$28.8K A$40.2K

$27.7K A$38.7K

3.84%

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

$31.2K A$43.5K

$31.3K A$43.7K

-0.45%

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

$207 A$289

$213 A$297

-2.80%

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

$34.58 A$48.21

$28.25 A$39.38

22.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 A$87.6

$57.0 A$79.5

10.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 A$78.9

$58.5 A$81.6

-3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.54 A$31.43

$18.52 A$25.82

21.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.91 A$24.96

$15.48 A$21.58

15.70%

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

$2,360 A$3,290

$2,168 A$3,023

8.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.0K

$20.7K A$28.8K

14.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 A$107

$78.2 A$109

-1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 A$92.5

$55.4 A$77.3

19.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$112 A$157

10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 A$218

$129 A$180

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 A$2,774

$1,466 A$2,044

35.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 A$2,278

$1,294 A$1,804

26.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 A$4,021

$2,299 A$3,205

25.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,284 A$3,185

$1,870 A$2,606

22.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,466 A$11.8K

$6,604 A$9,208

28.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 A$8,594

$5,273 A$7,351

16.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,375 A$6,100

$4,403 A$6,139

-0.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.85

1.20%

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

Last update for Perth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mount Isa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,989 in Perth and $1,466 in Mount Isa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mount Isa pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Perth vs $84.0 in Mount Isa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $376 per month, with Mount Isa cheaper across the board.

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 Mount Isa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Isa wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mount Isa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Mount Isa. 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: $1,989 in Perth versus $1,466 in Mount Isa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,360 in Perth versus $2,168 in Mount Isa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Perth. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Mount Isa is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Mount Isa 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 Mount Isa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.