Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth and Wagga Wagga

For one person, living is cheaper in Wagga Wagga: $1,906 a month against $3,080 in Perth, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Perth, Australia
Wagga Wagga, Australia
Perth
🇦🇺 Australia
$3,080
/mo nomad
Wagga Wagga
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,906
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Perth and in Wagga Wagga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Perth and in Wagga Wagga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,080 in Perth versus $1,906 in Wagga Wagga.

  • Perth $3,080
  • Wagga Wagga $1,906

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,194 in Perth versus $2,885 in Wagga Wagga.

  • Perth $4,194
  • Wagga Wagga $2,885

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Perth versus $3,865 in Wagga Wagga.

  • Perth $5,309
  • Wagga Wagga $3,865

Living in Perth is roughly 62% more expensive than in Wagga Wagga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Perth 126% above, Wagga Wagga 40% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.45 A$30.62
$13.65 A$19.48
57.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.5 A$122
$90.4 A$129
-5.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 A$15.58
$10.32 A$14.73
5.81%
Cappuccino
$4.55 A$6.50
$4.02 A$5.74
13.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 A$3.98
$3.12 A$4.46
-10.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 A$3.23
$2.51 A$3.58
-9.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.31 A$11.87
$8.64 A$12.33
-3.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.55 A$12.21
$10.01 A$14.28
-14.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 A$2.39
$1.49 A$2.13
12.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.18 A$4.54
$3.21 A$4.59
-0.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 A$2.89
$2.60 A$3.72
-22.31%
Eggs
$5.28 A$7.54
$5.32 A$7.59
-0.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.51 A$13.57
$12.97 A$18.51
-26.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.21 A$13.14
$9.90 A$14.14
-6.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 A$19.97
$15.47 A$22.08
-9.57%
Apples (1kg)
$4.60 A$6.56
$4.02 A$5.74
14.43%
Banana (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.50
$3.13 A$4.47
0.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.52 A$5.03
$3.46 A$4.94
1.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.84 A$6.91
$5.20 A$7.42
-6.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.79 A$3.98
$3.09 A$4.42
-9.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 A$2.69
$2.72 A$3.88
-30.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 A$3.15
$2.46 A$3.51
-10.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 A$1.91
$1.40 A$2.00
-4.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$42.80 A$61.1
$45.05 A$64.3
-4.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.65 A$18.05
$13.91 A$19.85
-9.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.35 A$6.22
$4.65 A$6.64
-6.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 A$4.81
$5.46 A$7.79
-38.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.41 A$3.44
$3.18 A$4.54
-24.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.6 A$142
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 A$5.12
$4.14 A$5.91
-13.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 A$2.08
$1.57 A$2.24
-7.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.46 A$57.8
$42.56 A$60.7
-4.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 A$1.93
$1.31 A$1.87
3.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K A$42.2K
$28.4K A$40.5K
4.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K A$40.1K
$26.8K A$38.3K
4.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 A$291
$186 A$265
9.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.62 A$47.99
$27.04 A$38.59
24.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.8 A$92.5
$56.3 A$80.3
15.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 A$77.0
$28.02 A$39.99
92.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.16 A$30.20
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.29 A$24.68
$15.87 A$22.65
8.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,300 A$3,282
$2,202 A$3,143
4.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K A$33.0K
$20.5K A$29.3K
12.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 A$111
$77.3 A$110
0.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 A$91.0
$56.3 A$80.4
13.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$173
$109 A$155
11.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 A$236
$131 A$187
26.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,006 A$2,863
$907 A$1,294
121.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 A$2,388
$714 A$1,019
134.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,819 A$4,024
$1,526 A$2,179
84.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,156 A$3,078
$1,128 A$1,610
91.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,504 A$12.1K
$3,463 A$4,942
145.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,037 A$8,617
$2,408 A$3,436
150.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth
Wagga Wagga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,224 A$6,029
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.96
5.95
0.17%

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

Last update for Perth: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Perth
$1.7K
Wagga Wagga
$714 57.3% $959
Groceries & Markets
Perth
$365
Wagga Wagga
$396 8.3% $30
Eating Out
Perth
$338
Wagga Wagga
$274 18.8% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth
$302
Wagga Wagga
$269 10.9% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Perth
$193
Wagga Wagga
$168 12.7% $25
Getting Around
Perth
$120
Wagga Wagga
$25 * 79.4% $95
Sport & Entertainment
Perth
$89
Wagga Wagga
$60 32.5% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,006 in Perth and $907 in Wagga Wagga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86 in Perth vs $90 in Wagga Wagga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $396 per month, with Perth cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Perth
🇦🇺 Wagga Wagga
🕒 Local time
03:09 3:09 AM
06:09 6:09 AM
3 h ahead of Perth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,043,762
49,686
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.628 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Perth Wagga Wagga 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Perth
  • Wagga Wagga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Wagga Wagga cheaper than Perth?
Wagga Wagga is about 38% cheaper overall, especially in transport, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $4,620 in Perth and $2,859 in Wagga Wagga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Perth and Wagga Wagga?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,006 in Perth versus $907 in Wagga Wagga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Perth and in Wagga Wagga?
Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Perth and in Wagga Wagga?
All in, you’ll spend $3,080 per month in Perth versus $1,906 in Wagga Wagga – Wagga Wagga is about 38% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is it better to live in Perth or in Wagga Wagga?
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.
Which city is safer, Perth or Wagga Wagga?
Safety-wise, Perth and Wagga Wagga are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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