Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Port Hedland Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Port Hedland

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,581 in Port Hedland.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,760 in Port Hedland.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $4,940 in Port Hedland.

Living in Perth is roughly 20% more expensive than in Port Hedland, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Port Hedland 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.32

$18.17 A$25.63

14.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$85.7 A$121

1.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.98

$9.87 A$13.92

7.60%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.46

$4.01 A$5.66

14.21%

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

$2.96 A$4.17

$3.16 A$4.45

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.26

$2.53 A$3.57

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.23

$8.02 A$11.30

8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.25

$7.65 A$10.79

13.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.48

$1.88 A$2.64

-6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.25

$2.84 A$4.00

5.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.98

$2.25 A$3.17

-6.22%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.37

$4.86 A$6.86

7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.80

$10.83 A$15.28

-16.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.96

$10.00 A$14.11

-8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.20

$15.87 A$22.39

-9.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.67

$3.31 A$4.67

42.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.68

$3.53 A$4.98

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.93

$3.30 A$4.65

6.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.23

$4.51 A$6.36

13.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.10

$2.72 A$3.83

6.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.71

$2.23 A$3.15

-13.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.21

$2.45 A$3.46

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.93

$1.61 A$2.27

-14.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.6

$44.56 A$62.8

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$18.04

$12.66 A$17.85

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.29

$5.60 A$7.90

-20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.07

$6.17 A$8.70

-41.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.61

$2.99 A$4.21

-14.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$97.6 A$138

3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.25

$3.73 A$5.25

-0.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.02

$1.85 A$2.61

-22.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$59.1

$45.43 A$64.1

-7.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.89

$1.35 A$1.90

-0.74%

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

$28.0K A$39.5K

$30.9K A$43.5K

-9.18%

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

$30.3K A$42.7K

$32.2K A$45.5K

-6.06%

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

$205 A$289

$223 A$314

-8.07%

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

$34.01 A$47.96

$30.40 A$42.87

11.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$89.2

$55.4 A$78.1

14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.6

$51.5 A$72.6

9.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.33

$16.31 A$23.00

36.17%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.61

$17.47 A$24.63

3.95%

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

$2,378 A$3,354

$2,227 A$3,141

6.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.5K

$18.0K A$25.4K

31.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$108

$78.2 A$110

-2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$95.1

$51.9 A$73.2

29.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$104 A$147

16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$210

$115 A$162

29.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,737

$1,278 A$1,802

51.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,331

$1,194 A$1,684

38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,021

$2,278 A$3,213

25.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,181

$1,858 A$2,621

21.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.9K

$6,474 A$9,130

29.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,550

$4,824 A$6,804

25.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$6,020

$5,287 A$7,456

-19.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.87

0.85%

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Port Hedland: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,278 in Port Hedland. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Hedland pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Perth vs $86.0 in Port Hedland. Groceries flip the comparison at $370 vs $387, with Perth cheaper for home cooking.

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 Port Hedland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Hedland is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Port Hedland. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,941 in Perth versus $1,278 in Port Hedland. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Port Hedland runs roughly 3% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,378 in Perth versus $2,227 in Port Hedland. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,581 in Port Hedland versus $3,096 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Port Hedland but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.