Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Richmond Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Richmond

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Perth versus $1,987 in Richmond.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Perth versus $2,937 in Richmond.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Perth versus $3,887 in Richmond.

Living in Perth is roughly 15% more expensive than Richmond, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 71% above, Richmond 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$22.93

$9.73 A$13.56

69.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$78.7 A$110

-0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.76

$9.78 A$13.63

8.28%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.16

$3.30 A$4.60

12.12%

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

$2.48 A$3.46

$2.59 A$3.61

-4.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.76

$2.27 A$3.16

-12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$10.94

$3.33 A$4.65

135.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.32

$7.04 A$9.81

-4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.47 A$2.05

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.43

$2.56 A$3.56

-3.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$2.27 A$3.16

-13.66%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.31

$2.96 A$4.12

53.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.12

$6.60 A$9.19

31.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$11.92

$6.56 A$9.14

30.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.50

$6.40 A$8.92

118.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.78

$3.34 A$4.65

2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$2.91 A$4.06

-0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$2.91 A$4.06

1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.61

$3.90 A$5.43

21.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.34

$2.33 A$3.24

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.47

$1.87 A$2.61

-5.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.79

$2.20 A$3.07

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$1.64 A$2.29

-7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$44.78

$32.90 A$45.85

-2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.18

$7.37 A$10.27

77.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.46

$4.46 A$6.21

-12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.76

$5.13 A$7.15

-19.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.14

$2.55 A$3.55

16.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$101

$64.0 A$89.1

13.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.59

$3.48 A$4.85

15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.38 A$1.93

53.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$67.9

$27.06 A$37.70

80.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.56

$1.13 A$1.58

-0.88%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$29.0K A$40.4K

-0.91%

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

$24.1K A$33.6K

$23.5K A$32.7K

2.70%

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

$156 A$218

$79.2 A$110

97.49%

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

$28.43 A$39.62

$21.49 A$29.95

32.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$78.7

$51.0 A$71.1

10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$57.7

$48.24 A$67.2

-14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$21.64

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$22.62

$16.51 A$23.01

-1.70%

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

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,737 A$2,421

4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$19.0K A$26.5K

-37.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$97.0

$69.4 A$96.7

0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$68.2

$54.0 A$75.2

-9.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$143

$98.4 A$137

4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$105 A$146

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,118

$1,281 A$1,785

18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,582

$1,057 A$1,473

7.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,519

$1,986 A$2,768

27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,522

$1,697 A$2,365

6.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,557

$6,919 A$9,642

-0.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,522

$5,372 A$7,486

0.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,048

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Richmond: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Perth and $1,281 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $79.0 in Richmond. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $285, with Richmond 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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,440 in Perth and $2,980 in Richmond 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: $1,520 in Perth versus $1,281 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Richmond runs roughly 13% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,810 in Perth versus $1,737 in Richmond. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,987 in Richmond versus $2,294 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Richmond but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.