Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Parramatta Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Parramatta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Perth versus $2,284 in Parramatta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Perth versus $3,357 in Parramatta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Perth versus $4,431 in Parramatta.

Monthly costs are close between Perth and Parramatta; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 71% above, Parramatta 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$23.06

$16.58 A$23.23

-0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$110

$79.5 A$111

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.84

$9.59 A$13.44

10.43%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.18

$3.35 A$4.70

10.45%

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

$2.48 A$3.48

$2.64 A$3.71

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.78

$2.24 A$3.15

-11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$11.00

$6.56 A$9.20

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.37

$7.20 A$10.09

-7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.97

$1.50 A$2.11

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.44

$2.65 A$3.72

-7.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.75

$1.77 A$2.47

10.73%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.35

$4.06 A$5.69

11.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.19

$9.01 A$12.62

-3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.98

$8.17 A$11.45

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.61

$14.33 A$20.08

-2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.81

$3.32 A$4.65

3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.07

$2.68 A$3.75

8.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.15

$3.10 A$4.34

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.65

$4.62 A$6.47

2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.36

$2.31 A$3.24

3.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.48

$2.10 A$2.95

-15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.81

$2.35 A$3.30

-14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.12

$1.27 A$1.79

19.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$45.02

$30.30 A$42.45

6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.28

$14.09 A$19.74

-7.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.49

$4.86 A$6.81

-19.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.79

$5.28 A$7.39

-21.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.17

$2.64 A$3.70

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$102

$64.7 A$90.7

12.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.63

$4.00 A$5.61

0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.97

$1.59 A$2.23

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$68.3

$40.50 A$56.8

20.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.57

$1.19 A$1.67

-5.88%

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

$28.7K A$40.2K

$28.3K A$39.7K

1.38%

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

$24.1K A$33.7K

$22.7K A$31.8K

6.06%

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

$156 A$219

$223 A$312

-29.83%

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

$28.43 A$39.84

$29.12 A$40.80

-2.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$79.2

$52.1 A$73.0

8.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$58.0

$49.35 A$69.2

-16.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.76

$16.01 A$22.43

-3.00%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.75

$14.08 A$19.73

15.27%

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

$1,810 A$2,536

$1,747 A$2,448

3.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.5K

$13.5K A$18.9K

-12.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.5

$73.0 A$102

-4.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.6

$57.3 A$80.3

-14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$97.9 A$137

4.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$117 A$163

-9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,130

$1,284 A$1,800

18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,590

$1,080 A$1,514

5.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,539

$1,998 A$2,799

26.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,536

$1,706 A$2,390

6.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,610

$6,189 A$8,672

10.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,564

$5,227 A$7,324

3.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,082

$4,210 A$5,898

3.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.29

2.07%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Parramatta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Perth and $1,284 in Parramatta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $79.0 in Parramatta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $343 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 Parramatta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,520 in Perth versus $1,284 in Parramatta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,810 in Perth versus $1,747 in Parramatta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Parramatta – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $78.0 in Perth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,284 in Parramatta versus $2,294 in Perth, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Parramatta but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Parramatta 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 Parramatta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Parramatta wins on affordability, Perth on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.