Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Muswellbrook

For one person, living is cheaper in Muswellbrook: $2,294 a month against $3,080 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Perth, Australia
Muswellbrook, Australia
Perth
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,080
/mo nomad
Muswellbrook
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Muswellbrook

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

A single person spends $3,080 per month in Perth vs $2,294 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

  • Perth $3,080
  • Muswellbrook $2,294

A couple spends around $4,194 per month in Perth vs $3,598 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

  • Perth $4,194
  • Muswellbrook $3,598

A family of three spends $5,309 per month in Perth vs $4,902 in Muswellbrook, rent included.

  • Perth $5,309
  • Muswellbrook $4,902

Perth costs about 34% more than Muswellbrook, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Perth and Muswellbrook sit above the global median – Perth by 126%, Muswellbrook by 69%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.45 A$30.48
$17.21 A$24.45
24.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.5 A$122
$85.1 A$121
0.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 A$15.51
$10.58 A$15.04
3.21%
Cappuccino
$4.55 A$6.47
$3.42 A$4.86
33.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 A$3.96
$2.72 A$3.87
2.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 A$3.21
$2.23 A$3.17
1.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.31 A$11.81
$6.99 A$9.93
18.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.55 A$12.15
$7.04 A$10.01
21.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 A$2.38
$1.20 A$1.70
40.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.18 A$4.52
$2.90 A$4.13
9.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 A$2.87
$2.19 A$3.10
-7.76%
Eggs
$5.28 A$7.51
$4.04 A$5.74
30.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 A$13.51
$10.36 A$14.73
-8.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.21 A$13.09
$9.57 A$13.60
-3.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 A$19.88
$16.41 A$23.31
-14.75%
Apples (1kg)
$4.60 A$6.53
$2.94 A$4.17
56.46%
Banana (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.48
$2.58 A$3.67
22.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 A$5.00
$2.78 A$3.95
26.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.84 A$6.88
$4.50 A$6.39
7.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.79 A$3.97
$2.39 A$3.39
16.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 A$2.68
$2.49 A$3.53
-24.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 A$3.13
$2.77 A$3.94
-20.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 A$1.90
$1.72 A$2.44
-22.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$42.80 A$60.8
$41.91 A$59.6
2.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$17.97
$14.03 A$19.94
-9.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.35 A$6.19
$4.43 A$6.30
-1.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 A$4.78
$4.68 A$6.65
-27.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.41 A$3.42
$2.74 A$3.89
-12.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.6 A$142
$93.9 A$133
6.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 A$5.10
$3.81 A$5.42
-5.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 A$2.07
$1.44 A$2.04
1.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.46 A$57.5
$41.81 A$59.4
-3.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 A$1.92
$1.34 A$1.90
0.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K A$42.0K
$29.5K A$42.0K
0.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K A$40.0K
$24.5K A$34.7K
14.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$289
$138 A$197
47.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.62 A$47.77
$31.16 A$44.28
7.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.8 A$92.1
$49.96 A$71.0
29.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 A$76.7
$55.7 A$79.1
-3.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.16 A$30.06
$15.21 A$21.61
39.12%
Cinema Ticket
$17.29 A$24.57
$13.12 A$18.65
31.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,300 A$3,267
$2,205 A$3,133
4.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K A$32.8K
$23.1K A$32.8K
0.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 A$110
$71.1 A$101
9.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 A$90.6
$62.9 A$89.4
1.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$172
$145 A$207
-16.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 A$235
$108 A$153
53.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,006 A$2,850
$1,201 A$1,707
66.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 A$2,378
$1,061 A$1,508
57.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,819 A$4,006
$2,222 A$3,157
26.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,156 A$3,064
$2,048 A$2,910
5.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,504 A$12.1K
$6,189 A$8,794
37.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,037 A$8,579
$4,686 A$6,659
28.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth
Muswellbrook
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,224 A$6,002
$6,419 A$9,121
-34.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.96
5.23
13.96%

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

Last update for Perth: October 25, 2026

Last update for Muswellbrook: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Perth
$1.7K
Muswellbrook
$1.1K 36.6% $612
Groceries & Markets
Perth
$365
Muswellbrook
$361 1.1% $4.1
Eating Out
Perth
$338
Muswellbrook
$279 17.3% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
$302
Muswellbrook
$220 27.3% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Perth
$193
Muswellbrook
$174 9.5% $18
Getting Around
Perth
$120
Muswellbrook
$116 3.5% $4.2
Sport & Entertainment
Perth
$89
Muswellbrook
$82 7.5% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,006 in Perth versus $1,201 in Muswellbrook. 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 52% higher in Muswellbrook, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Perth versus $85 in Muswellbrook. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $361 – making Muswellbrook the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Perth
🇦🇺 Muswellbrook
🕒 Local time
05:12 5:12 AM
08:12 8:12 AM
3 h ahead of Perth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,043,762
16,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Perth Muswellbrook 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Perth
  • Muswellbrook

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 Muswellbrook: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Perth and in Muswellbrook compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,080 in Perth, $2,294 in Muswellbrook – Muswellbrook comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Perth compared to Muswellbrook?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,620 per month in Perth and $3,440 in Muswellbrook. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Perth and Muswellbrook?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Muswellbrook, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,201 there versus $2,006 in Perth.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Perth and Muswellbrook?
Kindergarten costs $2,300 per month in Perth and $2,205 in Muswellbrook. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Perth or Muswellbrook?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,080 in Perth and $2,294 in Muswellbrook. That makes Muswellbrook about 26% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Muswellbrook, where all-in costs run around $2,294, than in Perth at $3,080. In Muswellbrook it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Perth or Muswellbrook?
Families tend to lean toward Muswellbrook – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Perth or Muswellbrook safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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