Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Wagga Wagga Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Wagga Wagga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,310 in Perth versus $2,175 in Wagga Wagga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,356 in Perth versus $2,895 in Wagga Wagga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Perth versus $3,616 in Wagga Wagga.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 73% above, Wagga Wagga 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 A$23.16

$12.76 A$17.86

29.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$108

$89.3 A$125

-13.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 A$14.79

$9.97 A$13.96

5.92%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.09

$3.47 A$4.86

4.90%

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

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.68 A$3.76

-5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 A$2.69

$2.22 A$3.11

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.70 A$10.77

$6.59 A$9.22

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 A$9.03

$7.67 A$10.73

-15.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.42 A$1.98

3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.27

$2.70 A$3.78

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.85 A$2.58

8.65%

Eggs

$4.51 A$6.31

$4.03 A$5.65

11.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 A$11.70

$10.20 A$14.27

-18.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$6.69 A$9.36

22.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.50

$14.89 A$20.84

-6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.97

$3.19 A$4.46

11.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.09

$2.93 A$4.10

-0.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$3.09 A$4.32

-8.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.66

$4.70 A$6.59

1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.36 A$3.31

5.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.09 A$2.93

-17.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 A$2.68

$2.48 A$3.47

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.27 A$1.78

14.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$45.49

$31.26 A$43.76

3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 A$15.35

$15.23 A$21.33

-27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 A$5.42

$5.20 A$7.29

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 A$5.67

$5.84 A$8.18

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 A$4.10

$2.54 A$3.56

15.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 A$99.9

$65.2 A$91.3

9.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 A$5.58

$4.11 A$5.76

-3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 A$3.09

$1.82 A$2.55

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 A$70.4

$15.74 A$22.03

219.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.62

$1.13 A$1.58

2.65%

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

$28.6K A$40.0K

$28.5K A$39.9K

0.25%

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

$24.3K A$34.0K

$23.0K A$32.2K

5.68%

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

$154 A$215

$121 A$170

26.75%

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

$27.61 A$38.65

$23.18 A$32.45

19.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 A$77.7

$53.2 A$74.5

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 A$57.5

$48.99 A$68.6

-16.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 A$22.08

$15.82 A$22.14

-0.32%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 A$22.94

$13.47 A$18.85

21.60%

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

$1,790 A$2,506

$1,292 A$1,809

38.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K A$17.2K

$13.4K A$18.7K

-8.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 A$98.3

$71.8 A$100

-2.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 A$68.3

$57.5 A$80.6

-15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$144

$99.8 A$140

2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$113 A$159

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 A$2,138

$1,279 A$1,791

19.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 A$1,628

$1,086 A$1,521

7.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 A$3,483

$1,372 A$1,921

81.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 A$2,496

$1,052 A$1,473

69.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,459 A$9,042

$3,606 A$5,049

79.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,912 A$6,876

$2,510 A$3,514

95.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 A$6,131

$3,620 A$5,068

20.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.29

2.07%

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

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,527 in Perth and $1,279 in Wagga Wagga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 21% 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 $89.0 in Wagga Wagga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $347 per month, with Perth 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 Wagga Wagga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wagga Wagga is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Perth pays 21% 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: $1,527 in Perth versus $1,279 in Wagga Wagga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wagga Wagga runs roughly 9% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,790 in Perth versus $1,292 in Wagga Wagga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,175 in Wagga Wagga versus $2,310 in Perth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wagga Wagga but tight or insufficient in Perth. The gap between the two cities makes Wagga Wagga 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 Wagga Wagga 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 Wagga Wagga 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.