Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Noosa Heads Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Noosa Heads

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,294 per month in Perth vs $2,056 in Noosa Heads, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,344 per month in Perth vs $3,382 in Noosa Heads, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Perth vs $4,708 in Noosa Heads, rent included.

Perth costs about 12% more than Noosa Heads, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Noosa Heads sit above the global median – Perth by 71%, Noosa Heads by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$22.93

$16.17 A$22.53

1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$62.3 A$86.8

25.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.76

$8.42 A$11.74

25.77%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.16

$3.19 A$4.45

15.99%

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

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.53 A$3.52

-1.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.76

$1.75 A$2.43

13.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$10.94

$3.89 A$5.42

101.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.32

$5.30 A$7.39

26.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.45 A$2.02

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.64 A$3.68

-6.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$1.28 A$1.79

53.12%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.31

$4.49 A$6.25

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.12

$6.59 A$9.19

32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.92

$8.28 A$11.53

3.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.50

$12.48 A$17.38

12.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.78

$3.56 A$4.96

-3.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$2.64 A$3.68

9.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$2.00 A$2.79

48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.61

$3.86 A$5.38

22.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.34

$1.93 A$2.69

24.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.47

$1.99 A$2.78

-11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.79

$1.96 A$2.74

2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$0.62 A$0.87

145.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$44.78

$32.00 A$44.59

0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.18

$12.33 A$17.18

5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.46

$4.52 A$6.30

-13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.76

$5.81 A$8.10

-28.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.14

$1.91 A$2.66

55.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$66.1 A$92.1

9.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.59

$1.98 A$2.76

103.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.38 A$1.92

53.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$67.9

$31.53 A$43.94

54.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.56

$1.13 A$1.57

-0.88%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$26.1K A$36.4K

9.82%

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

$24.1K A$33.6K

$21.6K A$30.2K

11.32%

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

$156 A$218

$112 A$156

39.59%

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

$28.43 A$39.62

$31.78 A$44.29

-10.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$78.7

$48.18 A$67.1

17.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$57.7

$37.17 A$51.8

11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.64

$28.97 A$40.37

-46.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.62

$13.23 A$18.44

22.68%

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

$1,810 A$2,522

$987 A$1,375

83.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$7,196 A$10.0K

64.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.0

$62.4 A$87.0

11.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.2

$48.66 A$67.8

0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$89.8 A$125

14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$124 A$173

-15.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,118

$1,489 A$2,075

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,582

$1,054 A$1,469

7.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,519

$2,459 A$3,426

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,522

$2,238 A$3,118

-19.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,557

$6,324 A$8,812

8.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,522

$5,243 A$7,306

2.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,048

$3,152 A$4,393

37.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.39

0.47%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Noosa Heads: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,520 in Perth versus $1,489 in Noosa Heads. 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 38% higher in Perth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Perth versus $62.0 in Noosa Heads. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $308 – making Noosa Heads the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Noosa Heads: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,294 in Perth, $2,056 in Noosa Heads – roughly 12% apart. Perth costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,440 per month in Perth and $3,084 in Noosa Heads. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Noosa Heads, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Noosa Heads. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,810 per month in Perth and $987 in Noosa Heads. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Noosa Heads, where all-in costs run around $2,056, than in Perth at $2,294. In Noosa Heads it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Noosa Heads – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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