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: $2,351 in Perth versus $1,981 in Richmond.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Perth versus $2,955 in Richmond.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in Perth versus $3,930 in Richmond.

Living in Perth is roughly 19% more expensive than in Richmond, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Richmond 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.46

$9.81 A$14.06

66.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$76.5 A$110

1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.70

$9.93 A$14.23

3.32%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.40

$3.27 A$4.68

15.29%

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

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.63 A$3.77

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.84

$2.39 A$3.43

-17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.13

$3.27 A$4.68

137.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.35

$7.25 A$10.39

-9.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.10

$1.47 A$2.10

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.39

$2.58 A$3.69

-8.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.83

$2.31 A$3.32

-14.72%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.31

$3.00 A$4.30

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.07

$6.60 A$9.45

27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.28

$6.62 A$9.49

29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.68

$6.54 A$9.37

110.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.91

$3.26 A$4.67

4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.80 A$4.02

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.05

$2.91 A$4.17

-3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.81

$4.04 A$5.79

17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$2.25 A$3.23

11.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$1.92 A$2.76

-6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.87

$2.12 A$3.03

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$1.59 A$2.28

-4.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.92

$32.51 A$46.58

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.73

$6.98 A$10.00

87.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.41

$4.67 A$6.69

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.86

$5.31 A$7.61

-22.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.22

$2.53 A$3.63

16.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$103

$65.1 A$93.2

10.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.71

$3.64 A$5.22

9.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.03

$1.33 A$1.91

59.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.7

$26.87 A$38.50

83.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.67

$1.19 A$1.71

-2.52%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.5K A$40.8K

2.32%

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

$24.4K A$34.9K

$23.3K A$33.4K

4.45%

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

$155 A$222

$81.9 A$117

89.39%

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

$28.24 A$40.45

$21.10 A$30.22

33.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.4

$51.0 A$73.1

9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$59.0

$47.88 A$68.6

-14.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.40

$15.93 A$22.82

-1.82%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.47

$16.37 A$23.45

0.06%

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

$1,799 A$2,577

$1,784 A$2,557

0.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.1K

$19.0K A$27.2K

-37.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$100.0

$68.2 A$97.8

2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$69.0

$53.9 A$77.2

-10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$150

$96.2 A$138

8.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$106 A$151

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,111

$1,281 A$1,835

15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,678

$1,085 A$1,554

7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,691

$2,044 A$2,929

26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,612

$1,707 A$2,446

6.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.7K

$5,708 A$8,177

42.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,108

$4,890 A$7,005

15.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 A$6,169

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Richmond: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 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 $76.0 in Richmond for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $285 per month, with Richmond 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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,526 in Perth and $2,971 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: $1,474 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 10% 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 $1,784 in Richmond. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,981 in Richmond versus $2,351 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 19% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.