Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Rockhampton

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockhampton: $1,987 a month against $3,080 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Perth
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Perth Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Rockhampton
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Rockhampton Living Index

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Perth

🇦🇺 Australia

$3,080

/mo nomad

Rockhampton

🇦🇺 Australia

$1,987

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Rockhampton

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Perth and in Rockhampton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,080 in Perth versus $1,987 in Rockhampton.

Perth $3,080
Rockhampton $1,987

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,194 in Perth versus $3,229 in Rockhampton.

Perth $4,194
Rockhampton $3,229

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Perth versus $4,471 in Rockhampton.

Perth $5,309
Rockhampton $4,471

Living in Perth is roughly 55% more expensive than in Rockhampton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Rockhampton 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.45 A$30.48

$20.51 A$29.14

4.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 A$122

$83.9 A$119

1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 A$15.51

$9.90 A$14.07

10.30%

Cappuccino

$4.55 A$6.47

$5.01 A$7.12

-9.18%

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

$2.79 A$3.96

$2.40 A$3.41

16.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.21

$2.77 A$3.94

-18.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 A$11.81

$7.66 A$10.89

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.15

$6.47 A$9.19

32.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 A$2.38

$2.38 A$3.38

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 A$4.52

$2.34 A$3.33

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.87

$2.17 A$3.08

-6.91%

Eggs

$5.28 A$7.51

$3.84 A$5.45

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 A$13.51

$6.86 A$9.75

38.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 A$13.09

$11.15 A$15.85

-17.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 A$19.88

$15.74 A$22.36

-11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 A$6.53

$2.66 A$3.79

72.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.48

$2.06 A$2.93

52.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 A$5.00

$1.87 A$2.66

88.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 A$6.88

$4.95 A$7.04

-2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.97

$1.99 A$2.83

40.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 A$2.68

$2.32 A$3.30

-18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.13

$1.92 A$2.73

15.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 A$1.90

$2.23 A$3.17

-39.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.80 A$60.8

$37.33 A$53.1

14.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 A$17.97

$15.17 A$21.56

-16.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 A$6.19

$3.52 A$5.00

23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 A$4.78

$5.93 A$8.43

-43.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 A$3.42

$1.72 A$2.45

40.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 A$142

$63.2 A$89.8

57.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 A$5.10

$3.46 A$4.91

3.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 A$2.07

$1.76 A$2.50

-17.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.46 A$57.5

$39.29 A$55.8

2.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.92

$1.21 A$1.72

11.57%

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

$29.6K A$42.0K

$29.8K A$42.4K

-0.89%

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

$28.1K A$40.0K

$22.9K A$32.5K

22.91%

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

$204 A$289

$203 A$289

0.06%

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

$33.62 A$47.77

$23.89 A$33.94

40.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 A$92.1

$67.6 A$96.1

-4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 A$76.7

$39.77 A$56.5

35.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.16 A$30.06

$14.23 A$20.22

48.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 A$24.57

$15.89 A$22.57

8.81%

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

$2,300 A$3,267

$1,776 A$2,523

29.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K A$32.8K

$6,584 A$9,356

250.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 A$110

$127 A$181

-39.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 A$90.6

$59.5 A$84.6

7.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$172

$141 A$201

-14.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 A$235

$64.0 A$90.9

158.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 A$2,850

$819 A$1,164

144.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 A$2,378

$678 A$964

146.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 A$4,006

$1,625 A$2,309

73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 A$3,064

$1,549 A$2,201

39.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,504 A$12.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,037 A$8,579

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,224 A$6,002

$3,315 A$4,710

27.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

6.27

-4.94%

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

Last update for Perth: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rockhampton: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Perth

$1.7K 54.3%

Rockhampton

$678 34.1% 59.5% $995

Groceries & Markets

Perth

$365 11.9%

Rockhampton

$358 18% 2.1% $7.7

Eating Out

Perth

$338 11%

Rockhampton

$326 16.4% 3.6% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Perth

$302 9.8%

Rockhampton

$295 14.8% 2.3% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Perth

$193 6.3%

Rockhampton

$176 8.9% 8.4% $16

Getting Around

Perth

$120 3.9%

Rockhampton

$82 4.2% 31.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Perth

$89 2.9%

Rockhampton

$72 3.6% 19.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,006 in Perth and $819 in Rockhampton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 27% 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: $86 in Perth vs $84 in Rockhampton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $358 per month, with Rockhampton cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Perth

🇦🇺 Rockhampton

🕒 Local time

14:27 2:27 PM

16:27 4:27 PM

2 h ahead of Perth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,043,762

63,151

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Perth Rockhampton 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Perth
Rockhampton

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rockhampton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rockhampton is about 35% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $2,006 in Perth versus $819 in Rockhampton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rockhampton runs roughly 37% less than in Perth. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $2,300 in Perth versus $1,776 in Rockhampton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,987 in Rockhampton versus $3,080 in Perth, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rockhampton but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Rockhampton 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 Rockhampton are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Rockhampton wins on affordability, Perth on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.