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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in Perth versus $2,058 in Port Macquarie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Perth versus $3,026 in Port Macquarie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in Perth versus $3,993 in Port Macquarie.

Living in Perth is roughly 14% more expensive than in Port Macquarie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Port Macquarie 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.46

$16.03 A$22.96

2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$66.2 A$94.8

17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.70

$8.63 A$12.37

18.89%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.40

$3.43 A$4.91

9.91%

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

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.42 A$3.47

3.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.84

$1.60 A$2.29

23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.13

$5.99 A$8.58

29.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.35

$5.77 A$8.26

13.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.10

$1.36 A$1.95

7.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.39

$2.33 A$3.34

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.83

$2.20 A$3.15

-10.45%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.31

$3.77 A$5.41

16.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.07

$3.29 A$4.71

155.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.28

$7.50 A$10.75

14.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.68

$9.68 A$13.88

41.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.91

$3.22 A$4.62

6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.66 A$3.81

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.05

$2.60 A$3.73

8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.81

$3.63 A$5.20

30.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$2.74 A$3.92

-8.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$2.20 A$3.14

-18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.87

$1.66 A$2.38

20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$1.08 A$1.54

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.92

$26.20 A$37.54

19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.73

$10.50 A$15.04

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.41

$3.81 A$5.46

-1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.86

$3.04 A$4.36

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.22

$2.62 A$3.75

12.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$103

$65.6 A$93.9

9.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.71

$2.29 A$3.28

73.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.03

$1.60 A$2.29

32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.7

$37.92 A$54.3

30.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.67

$1.16 A$1.66

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$24.0K A$34.4K

21.53%

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

$24.4K A$34.9K

$20.9K A$29.9K

16.61%

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

$155 A$222

$84.3 A$121

84.06%

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

$28.24 A$40.45

$23.48 A$33.64

20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.4

$56.5 A$80.9

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$59.0

$49.06 A$70.3

-16.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.40

$15.62 A$22.37

0.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.47

$9.72 A$13.92

68.52%

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

$1,799 A$2,577

$897 A$1,285

100.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.1K

$12.2K A$17.5K

-2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$100.0

$75.1 A$108

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$69.0

$45.00 A$64.5

6.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$150

$90.2 A$129

15.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$111 A$159

-5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,111

$1,242 A$1,779

18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,678

$1,053 A$1,509

11.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,691

$2,039 A$2,921

26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,612

$1,649 A$2,363

10.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.7K

$6,163 A$8,829

32.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,108

$5,126 A$7,344

10.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 A$6,169

$2,758 A$3,951

56.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

7.00%

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

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Last update for Port Macquarie: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 in Perth and $1,242 in Port Macquarie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $66.0 in Port Macquarie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $276 per month, with Port Macquarie 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 Port Macquarie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Macquarie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Perth, 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: $1,474 in Perth versus $1,242 in Port Macquarie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Port Macquarie runs roughly 9% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,799 in Perth versus $897 in Port Macquarie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,058 in Port Macquarie versus $2,351 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Port Macquarie but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Port Macquarie 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 Macquarie 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 Macquarie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.