Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Penrith Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Penrith

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,351 per month in Perth vs $2,196 in Penrith, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,434 per month in Perth vs $3,214 in Penrith, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,517 per month in Perth vs $4,232 in Penrith, rent included.

Perth costs about 7% more than Penrith, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Perth and Penrith sit above the global median – Perth by 76%, Penrith by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.38

$10.86 A$15.50

50.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$87.4 A$125

-11.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.65

$9.71 A$13.86

5.66%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.38

$2.54 A$3.63

48.43%

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

$2.50 A$3.57

$2.59 A$3.71

-3.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.83

$2.34 A$3.34

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.10

$6.52 A$9.32

19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.32

$4.57 A$6.52

42.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.37 A$1.95

6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.38

$2.22 A$3.17

6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.82

$0.88 A$1.26

123.86%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.29

$3.35 A$4.78

31.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.03

$9.85 A$14.06

-14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.24

$8.28 A$11.83

3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.62

$14.46 A$20.65

-4.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.89

$2.33 A$3.33

46.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.20

$2.95 A$4.21

-0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.03

$2.98 A$4.26

-5.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.78

$4.79 A$6.84

-0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.59

$2.32 A$3.31

8.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.56

$1.93 A$2.76

-7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.86

$2.35 A$3.36

-14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$0.74 A$1.05

105.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.77

$30.46 A$43.50

2.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.66

$14.58 A$20.81

-10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.39

$4.99 A$7.13

-24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.84

$5.81 A$8.30

-29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.62 A$3.74

12.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$102

$64.3 A$91.8

11.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.69

$4.11 A$5.86

-3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.02

$1.80 A$2.57

17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.5

$41.08 A$58.7

20.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.66

$1.15 A$1.65

0.87%

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

$29.2K A$41.6K

$29.0K A$41.5K

0.44%

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

$24.4K A$34.8K

$22.6K A$32.2K

8.04%

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

$155 A$221

$160 A$229

-3.19%

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

$28.24 A$40.32

$29.40 A$41.99

-3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.1

$52.4 A$74.8

7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$58.8

$48.06 A$68.6

-14.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.33

$15.79 A$22.55

-0.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.39

$13.49 A$19.26

21.42%

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

$1,799 A$2,568

$1,780 A$2,541

1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.0K

$13.3K A$19.0K

-10.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$99.7

$71.8 A$103

-2.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$68.7

$57.0 A$81.5

-15.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$149

$98.5 A$141

6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$115 A$165

-9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,104

$1,117 A$1,595

31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,673

$1,068 A$1,525

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,678

$2,003 A$2,860

28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,604

$1,696 A$2,423

7.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.6K

$6,908 A$9,864

17.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,082

$4,569 A$6,525

23.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 A$6,149

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Penrith: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Perth versus $1,117 in Penrith. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Perth versus $87.0 in Penrith. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Perth vs $327 in Penrith – so Penrith wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Penrith: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth costs about 7% more than Penrith, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,526 per month in Perth and $3,294 in Penrith. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 11% less in Penrith. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,799 per month in Perth and $1,780 in Penrith. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Penrith, where all-in costs run around $2,196, than in Perth at $2,351. In Penrith it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Penrith – 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 Penrith. 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.