Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Pakenham Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Pakenham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,310 in Perth versus $2,235 in Pakenham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in Perth versus $3,281 in Pakenham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Perth versus $4,327 in Pakenham.

Living in Perth is roughly 3% more expensive than Pakenham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 73% above, Pakenham 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$19.35 A$27.09

-14.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$78.8 A$110

-1.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$9.49 A$13.29

11.28%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.55 A$4.96

2.54%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.55 A$3.57

-0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

$2.39 A$3.35

-19.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$7.45 A$10.43

3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$7.08 A$9.92

-8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.06 A$1.48

38.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.65 A$3.72

-11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.32 A$1.84

52.27%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$4.84 A$6.78

-6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$7.82 A$10.95

6.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$9.34 A$13.08

-12.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$14.64 A$20.49

-4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$3.15 A$4.41

12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$2.79 A$3.90

4.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$2.98 A$4.17

-5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$3.18 A$4.45

49.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.69 A$3.76

-7.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.23 A$3.12

-22.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$2.23 A$3.13

-13.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.34 A$1.87

8.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$21.39 A$29.94

51.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$14.41 A$20.18

-23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$4.69 A$6.57

-17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$4.80 A$6.72

-15.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$2.67 A$3.74

9.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$64.9 A$90.8

10.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$3.62 A$5.07

9.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.40 A$1.96

57.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$27.58 A$38.61

82.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.19 A$1.67

-2.52%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$29.3K A$41.0K

-2.52%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$22.9K A$32.1K

5.98%

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

$154 A$215

$150 A$210

2.52%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$20.74 A$29.03

33.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$50.7 A$70.9

9.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$48.28 A$67.6

-14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.97 A$22.36

-1.25%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$16.17 A$22.64

1.30%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$1,780 A$2,492

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$19.0K A$26.6K

-35.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$68.2 A$95.5

2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$52.4 A$73.3

-6.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$107 A$150

-4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$105 A$147

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,249 A$1,749

22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,050 A$1,470

10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$2,050 A$2,871

21.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,662 A$2,326

7.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$6,570 A$9,199

-1.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$4,456 A$6,238

10.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.19

3.72%

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

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Last update for Pakenham: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,527 in Perth and $1,249 in Pakenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Perth vs $79.0 in Pakenham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $335 per month, with Perth 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 Pakenham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pakenham wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Perth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pakenham the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,466 in Perth and $3,353 in Pakenham to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,527 in Perth versus $1,249 in Pakenham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,790 in Perth versus $1,780 in Pakenham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,235 in Pakenham versus $2,310 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pakenham but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Pakenham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Pakenham 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 Pakenham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.