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: $3,096 in Perth versus $2,632 in Southern Cross.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,187 in Perth versus $3,725 in Southern Cross.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,277 in Perth versus $4,819 in Southern Cross.

Living in Perth is roughly 18% more expensive than in Southern Cross, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Southern Cross 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.79 A$29.20

$20.25 A$28.43

2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.6 A$122

$62.7 A$88.1

37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 A$14.91

$9.66 A$13.56

9.94%

Cappuccino

$4.58 A$6.43

$3.64 A$5.11

25.82%

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

$2.96 A$4.15

$2.49 A$3.49

18.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.25

$1.79 A$2.52

29.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 A$12.18

$6.99 A$9.82

24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 A$12.20

$8.49 A$11.92

2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.47

$1.65 A$2.31

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.23

$2.77 A$3.89

8.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.96

$2.27 A$3.19

-7.05%

Eggs

$5.23 A$7.34

$2.84 A$3.99

84.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 A$12.74

$10.02 A$14.08

-9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 A$12.90

$9.58 A$13.45

-4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 A$20.11

$15.06 A$21.15

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.64

$3.65 A$5.13

29.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.66

$3.06 A$4.29

8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.91

$3.32 A$4.66

5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.19

$4.69 A$6.58

9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.08

$2.67 A$3.75

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.70

$2.50 A$3.51

-23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.53 A$3.56

-9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.65 A$2.31

-16.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.95 A$60.3

$36.00 A$50.6

19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 A$17.96

$14.11 A$19.81

-9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.26

$4.97 A$6.98

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.04

$5.57 A$7.82

-35.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.60

$3.52 A$4.94

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 A$142

$91.6 A$129

10.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 A$5.23

$3.21 A$4.51

15.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 A$2.01

$1.72 A$2.41

-16.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.88 A$58.8

$37.09 A$52.1

12.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 A$1.88

$1.28 A$1.80

4.69%

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

$28.0K A$39.4K

$24.3K A$34.1K

15.43%

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

$30.3K A$42.5K

$34.2K A$48.0K

-11.37%

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

$205 A$288

$216 A$303

-5.13%

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

$34.01 A$47.76

$28.27 A$39.70

20.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 A$88.8

$57.5 A$80.7

10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$79.3

$53.7 A$75.4

5.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 A$31.19

$18.20 A$25.55

22.03%

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 A$25.50

$14.12 A$19.83

28.61%

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

$2,378 A$3,339

$1,977 A$2,777

20.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K A$33.3K

$20.0K A$28.0K

18.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 A$107

$85.3 A$120

-10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 A$94.6

$53.5 A$75.2

25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$170

$111 A$155

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 A$209

$112 A$158

32.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 A$2,725

$1,468 A$2,062

32.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,321

$1,200 A$1,685

37.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 A$4,004

$2,088 A$2,932

36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 A$3,167

$2,056 A$2,887

9.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,414 A$11.8K

$6,218 A$8,731

35.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 A$8,513

$4,868 A$6,835

24.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 A$5,994

$7,267 A$10.2K

-41.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

6.25

-5.28%

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

Last update for Perth: September 15, 2026

Last update for Southern Cross: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Perth and $1,468 in Southern Cross. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $87.0 in Perth vs $63.0 in Southern Cross for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $368 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 70% 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: $1,941 in Perth versus $1,468 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 10% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,378 in Perth versus $1,977 in Southern Cross. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Southern Cross is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 18% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.