Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and South Yarra Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and South Yarra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in Perth versus $2,139 in South Yarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Perth versus $3,216 in South Yarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in Perth versus $4,292 in South Yarra.

Living in Perth is roughly 10% more expensive than in South Yarra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, South Yarra 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.46

$19.55 A$28.00

-16.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$77.4 A$111

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.70

$7.64 A$10.94

34.29%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.40

$3.23 A$4.63

16.72%

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

$2.50 A$3.58

$1.92 A$2.75

30.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.84

$1.65 A$2.36

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.13

$7.40 A$10.61

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.35

$7.13 A$10.22

-8.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.10

$1.46 A$2.09

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.39

$2.63 A$3.77

-9.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.83

$1.28 A$1.83

53.91%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.31

$3.87 A$5.55

13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.07

$8.91 A$12.76

-5.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.28

$6.32 A$9.06

35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.68

$14.49 A$20.76

-5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.91

$2.57 A$3.68

33.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.00 A$2.86

47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.05

$1.33 A$1.91

112.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.81

$2.56 A$3.66

85.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$1.27 A$1.82

97.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$2.00 A$2.87

-10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.87

$2.11 A$3.02

-5.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$1.63 A$2.33

-6.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.92

$29.15 A$41.77

7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.73

$12.23 A$17.52

6.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.41

$4.69 A$6.73

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.86

$5.04 A$7.22

-18.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.22

$2.53 A$3.62

16.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$103

$66.1 A$94.6

8.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.71

$3.67 A$5.26

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.03

$1.40 A$2.01

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.7

$27.23 A$39.01

81.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.67

$1.14 A$1.63

1.75%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-0.82%

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

$24.4K A$34.9K

$23.2K A$33.2K

5.13%

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

$155 A$222

$150 A$215

3.30%

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

$28.24 A$40.45

$20.79 A$29.78

35.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.4

$38.44 A$55.1

45.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$59.0

$49.66 A$71.1

-17.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.40

$15.91 A$22.79

-1.70%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.47

$13.19 A$18.89

24.18%

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

$1,799 A$2,577

$1,720 A$2,464

4.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.1K

$19.6K A$28.1K

-39.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$100.0

$66.7 A$95.6

4.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$69.0

$53.6 A$76.7

-10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$150

$104 A$149

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$106 A$152

-1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,111

$1,274 A$1,825

15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,678

$1,058 A$1,515

10.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,691

$1,988 A$2,848

29.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,612

$1,655 A$2,371

10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.7K

$6,562 A$9,402

23.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,108

$5,346 A$7,660

5.86%

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 South Yarra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 in Perth and $1,274 in South Yarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $77.0 in South Yarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $300 per month, with South Yarra 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 South Yarra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Yarra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,526 in Perth and $3,209 in South Yarra 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 $1,274 in South Yarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in South Yarra runs roughly 8% 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 $1,720 in South Yarra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,139 in South Yarra versus $2,351 in Perth, a $2,500 budget is realistic in South Yarra but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes South Yarra 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 South Yarra 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 South Yarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.