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: $2,985 in Perth versus $2,694 in Townsville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,116 in Perth versus $3,965 in Townsville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,247 in Perth versus $5,236 in Townsville.

Living in Perth is roughly 11% more expensive than in Townsville, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 120% above, Townsville 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 A$28.58

$21.30 A$30.22

-5.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 A$122

$69.6 A$98.7

23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 A$15.48

$12.03 A$17.07

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$4.37 A$6.19

$3.71 A$5.27

17.79%

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

$2.90 A$4.11

$2.54 A$3.60

14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 A$3.08

$2.47 A$3.50

-12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.54 A$12.11

$8.30 A$11.78

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 A$11.78

$7.12 A$10.09

16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 A$2.46

$1.76 A$2.50

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 A$4.16

$2.31 A$3.28

26.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.96

$1.43 A$2.02

46.15%

Eggs

$5.09 A$7.21

$5.12 A$7.26

-0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 A$12.67

$8.14 A$11.55

9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 A$13.27

$10.01 A$14.20

-6.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 A$19.70

$13.56 A$19.24

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 A$6.20

$3.95 A$5.61

10.63%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.42

$2.79 A$3.96

11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.70

$3.60 A$5.11

-7.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 A$7.58

$4.15 A$5.89

28.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.06

$2.68 A$3.80

6.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.70

$2.60 A$3.68

-26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 A$3.26

$2.32 A$3.29

-0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 A$2.00

$2.13 A$3.02

-33.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$41.23 A$58.5

$29.91 A$42.44

37.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 A$19.20

$10.57 A$14.99

28.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 A$6.12

$6.67 A$9.46

-35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 A$4.93

$8.23 A$11.67

-57.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 A$3.39

$2.21 A$3.14

8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.4 A$138

$78.0 A$111

24.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 A$5.10

$3.87 A$5.49

-6.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.98

$2.38 A$3.38

-41.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.08 A$58.3

$53.5 A$75.8

-23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.76

$1.22 A$1.73

1.64%

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

$27.3K A$38.8K

$27.7K A$39.3K

-1.42%

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

$30.6K A$43.4K

$35.5K A$50.3K

-13.63%

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

$198 A$281

$391 A$555

-49.43%

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

$32.76 A$46.47

$35.97 A$51.0

-8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 A$87.4

$66.8 A$94.8

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 A$76.2

$55.8 A$79.1

-3.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 A$31.06

$19.78 A$28.06

10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$17.26 A$24.49

$15.42 A$21.87

11.93%

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

$2,293 A$3,253

$2,118 A$3,005

8.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K A$32.7K

$20.7K A$29.4K

11.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 A$107

$94.3 A$134

-19.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 A$91.0

$70.8 A$100

-9.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 A$165

$163 A$231

-28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 A$226

$130 A$184

22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,911 A$2,711

$1,325 A$1,880

44.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 A$2,218

$1,189 A$1,687

31.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 A$3,973

$2,473 A$3,508

13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 A$2,990

$2,025 A$2,872

4.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,192 A$11.6K

$4,931 A$6,995

66.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,740 A$8,143

$4,025 A$5,709

42.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,267 A$6,053

$4,013 A$5,693

6.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

5.54

7.58%

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

Last update for Perth: August 3, 2026

Last update for Townsville: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,911 in Perth and $1,325 in Townsville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 6% 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: $86.0 in Perth vs $70.0 in Townsville. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $373, with Perth cheaper for home cooking.

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 Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $1,911 in Perth versus $1,325 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 25% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,293 in Perth versus $2,118 in Townsville. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Townsville 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 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 11% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.