Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,824 in Sydney versus $2,351 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,241 in Sydney versus $3,434 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,658 in Sydney versus $4,517 in Perth.

Living in Sydney is roughly 20% more expensive than in Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sydney 111% above, Perth 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 A$23.16

$16.37 A$23.38

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$113

$77.6 A$111

2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.70

$10.26 A$14.65

-6.53%

Cappuccino

$3.29 A$4.70

$3.77 A$5.38

-12.73%

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

$2.46 A$3.51

$2.50 A$3.57

-1.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.81

$1.98 A$2.83

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.47

$7.77 A$11.10

-14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.17

$6.53 A$9.32

9.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.35

$1.46 A$2.09

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 A$3.81

$2.37 A$3.38

12.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.34

$1.97 A$2.82

18.78%

Eggs

$5.03 A$7.18

$4.40 A$6.29

14.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.27

$8.42 A$12.03

2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.95

$8.57 A$12.24

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.03 A$20.04

$13.74 A$19.62

2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.61

$3.42 A$4.89

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.92

$2.94 A$4.20

-6.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.54

$2.82 A$4.03

12.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 A$6.23

$4.75 A$6.78

-8.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.49

$2.51 A$3.59

-2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.37

$1.79 A$2.56

31.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.09

$2.00 A$2.86

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.84

$1.52 A$2.17

-15.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.49 A$46.40

$31.35 A$44.77

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 A$19.93

$13.07 A$18.66

6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 A$6.60

$3.77 A$5.39

22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 A$7.57

$4.09 A$5.84

29.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 A$4.55

$2.94 A$4.21

8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 A$204

$71.6 A$102

99.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 A$5.46

$3.98 A$5.69

-4.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 A$4.33

$2.12 A$3.02

42.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 A$74.7

$49.35 A$70.5

6.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 A$1.71

$1.16 A$1.66

3.45%

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

$28.4K A$40.5K

$29.2K A$41.6K

-2.67%

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

$22.4K A$32.0K

$24.4K A$34.8K

-8.12%

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

$198 A$283

$155 A$221

27.83%

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

$24.17 A$34.51

$28.24 A$40.32

-14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.0

$56.1 A$80.1

-7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 A$86.2

$41.15 A$58.8

46.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 A$30.30

$15.64 A$22.33

35.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.45

$16.38 A$23.39

-4.03%

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

$2,085 A$2,978

$1,799 A$2,568

15.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K A$26.9K

$11.9K A$17.0K

57.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 A$107

$69.8 A$99.7

7.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$84.7

$48.14 A$68.7

23.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$104 A$149

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$188

$105 A$150

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 A$3,115

$1,474 A$2,104

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 A$2,150

$1,172 A$1,673

28.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,461 A$6,370

$2,576 A$3,678

73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 A$3,852

$1,823 A$2,604

47.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K A$18.3K

$8,136 A$11.6K

57.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,341 A$10.5K

$5,659 A$8,082

29.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,217 A$6,022

$4,306 A$6,149

-2.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.42

-1.25%

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

Last update for Sydney: July 13, 2026

Last update for Perth: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Sydney and $1,474 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sydney vs $78.0 in Perth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $334 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

Sydney vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Perth is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Perth. 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: $2,182 in Sydney versus $1,474 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Perth runs roughly 99% less than in Sydney. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,085 in Sydney versus $1,799 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,351 in Perth versus $2,824 in Sydney, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Perth but tight or insufficient in Sydney. The gap between the two cities makes Perth 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, Sydney and Perth 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 Perth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Sydney. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.