Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Southern Cross Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Southern Cross

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in Perth versus $2,288 in Southern Cross.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Perth versus $3,238 in Southern Cross.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,517 in Perth versus $4,188 in Southern Cross.

Living in Perth is roughly 3% more expensive than in Southern Cross, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 76% above, Southern Cross 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.37 A$23.46

$17.94 A$25.71

-8.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$111

$57.5 A$82.4

35.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 A$14.70

$9.86 A$14.13

4.06%

Cappuccino

$3.77 A$5.40

$3.24 A$4.64

16.36%

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

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.32 A$3.32

7.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.84

$1.67 A$2.40

18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 A$11.13

$6.69 A$9.58

16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 A$9.35

$7.65 A$10.96

-14.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.10

$1.50 A$2.15

-2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.39

$2.43 A$3.49

-2.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.83

$1.98 A$2.83

-0.51%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.31

$2.58 A$3.70

70.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.07

$8.64 A$12.38

-2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.28

$8.37 A$11.99

2.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.68

$13.45 A$19.28

2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 A$4.91

$3.31 A$4.74

3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.86 A$4.10

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.05

$2.97 A$4.26

-5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 A$6.81

$4.04 A$5.79

17.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.60

$2.43 A$3.49

3.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$2.17 A$3.11

-17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.87

$2.10 A$3.00

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.17

$1.58 A$2.26

-3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.35 A$44.92

$32.90 A$47.13

-4.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.07 A$18.73

$13.98 A$20.03

-6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.41

$4.64 A$6.65

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 A$5.86

$5.19 A$7.44

-21.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.22

$2.67 A$3.82

10.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.6 A$103

$64.2 A$92.0

11.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.71

$3.54 A$5.07

12.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.03

$1.59 A$2.28

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.35 A$70.7

$34.06 A$48.80

44.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.67

$1.17 A$1.68

-0.85%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.3K A$40.6K

2.97%

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

$24.4K A$34.9K

$22.6K A$32.5K

7.57%

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

$155 A$222

$182 A$261

-14.95%

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

$28.24 A$40.45

$27.44 A$39.32

2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.4

$53.2 A$76.3

5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 A$59.0

$48.26 A$69.1

-14.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 A$22.40

$15.96 A$22.87

-2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$23.47

$12.90 A$18.49

26.98%

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

$1,799 A$2,577

$1,623 A$2,325

10.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.1K

$12.0K A$17.1K

-0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 A$100.0

$68.0 A$97.4

2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 A$69.0

$51.5 A$73.8

-6.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$150

$99.8 A$143

4.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$107 A$154

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 A$2,111

$1,266 A$1,814

16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 A$1,678

$1,072 A$1,535

9.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 A$3,691

$1,996 A$2,860

29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 A$2,612

$1,649 A$2,362

10.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,136 A$11.7K

$6,392 A$9,159

27.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 A$8,108

$5,469 A$7,836

3.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 A$6,169

$6,815 A$9,764

-36.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.25

2.72%

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

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Last update for Southern Cross: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 in Perth and $1,266 in Southern Cross. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Perth vs $58.0 in Southern Cross for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $332 per month, with Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Cross is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Southern Cross. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,474 in Perth versus $1,266 in Southern Cross. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Southern Cross runs roughly 12% 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 $1,623 in Southern Cross. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,288 in Southern Cross versus $2,351 in Perth, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Southern Cross but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.