Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Townsville Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Townsville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,311 in Perth versus $2,189 in Townsville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,428 in Perth versus $3,300 in Townsville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,545 in Perth versus $4,410 in Townsville.

Living in Perth is roughly 6% more expensive than Townsville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 72% above, Townsville 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 A$22.71

$11.52 A$16.27

39.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 A$109

$62.4 A$88.1

23.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 A$14.76

$9.64 A$13.62

8.40%

Cappuccino

$3.72 A$5.26

$3.16 A$4.47

17.72%

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

$2.45 A$3.47

$2.41 A$3.40

1.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.80

$2.18 A$3.08

-9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 A$10.76

$6.51 A$9.20

16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 A$9.41

$5.15 A$7.27

29.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.04

$1.49 A$2.10

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.41

$2.08 A$2.94

15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.73

$1.65 A$2.33

17.58%

Eggs

$4.40 A$6.22

$4.15 A$5.87

6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 A$11.96

$7.29 A$10.31

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 A$11.53

$8.09 A$11.43

0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 A$19.44

$11.99 A$16.94

14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 A$4.91

$3.82 A$5.39

-9.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.15

$2.91 A$4.12

1.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.13

$3.30 A$4.67

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 A$6.51

$4.39 A$6.20

5.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.59

$2.56 A$3.62

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 A$2.54

$2.43 A$3.43

-25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 A$2.85

$2.07 A$2.92

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.06

$1.92 A$2.71

-23.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.72 A$44.82

$24.38 A$34.44

30.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 A$18.06

$10.70 A$15.12

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 A$5.32

$3.25 A$4.59

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 A$5.96

$7.72 A$10.91

-45.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 A$4.15

$2.04 A$2.88

44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 A$100

$72.0 A$102

-1.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 A$5.65

$3.48 A$4.92

14.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 A$3.03

$1.43 A$2.02

49.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.61 A$70.1

$49.35 A$69.7

0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.59

$1.17 A$1.66

-3.42%

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

$29.2K A$41.3K

$23.1K A$32.6K

26.49%

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

$24.0K A$34.0K

$19.5K A$27.5K

23.44%

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

$159 A$225

$149 A$211

6.43%

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

$27.87 A$39.38

$35.35 A$49.94

-21.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$78.6

$60.0 A$84.7

-7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.11 A$59.5

$41.86 A$59.1

0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 A$22.51

$14.22 A$20.10

12.03%

Cinema Ticket

$16.15 A$22.83

$15.34 A$21.67

5.28%

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

$1,797 A$2,540

$1,176 A$1,662

52.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$17.0K

$11.9K A$16.8K

1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$101

$96.5 A$136

-25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 A$67.8

$61.5 A$86.9

-22.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$144

$100 A$142

1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$117 A$165

-10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 A$2,116

$1,207 A$1,705

24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 A$1,660

$1,069 A$1,510

9.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 A$3,642

$2,324 A$3,283

10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 A$2,585

$1,903 A$2,689

-3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,927 A$9,788

$4,960 A$7,008

39.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,311 A$7,505

$4,057 A$5,732

30.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 A$6,200

$4,184 A$5,911

4.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.06

5.94%

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

Last update for Perth: June 9, 2026

Last update for Townsville: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,498 in Perth and $1,207 in Townsville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 5% 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: $77.0 in Perth vs $62.0 in Townsville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $326 per month, with Townsville 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 Townsville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Townsville is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Perth pays 5% more on average, 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: $1,498 in Perth versus $1,207 in Townsville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Townsville runs roughly 1% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,797 in Perth versus $1,176 in Townsville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,189 in Townsville versus $2,311 in Perth, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Townsville but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Townsville 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 Townsville 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 Townsville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.