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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,193 in Townsville versus $2,310 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,259 in Townsville versus $3,356 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,324 in Townsville versus $4,402 in Perth.

Living in Townsville costs roughly 5% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Townsville 64% above, Perth 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 A$16.60

$16.54 A$22.99

-27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 A$84.8

$77.3 A$107

-21.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 A$13.97

$10.56 A$14.68

-4.83%

Cappuccino

$3.10 A$4.31

$3.64 A$5.06

-14.84%

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

$2.46 A$3.42

$2.53 A$3.52

-2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 A$3.14

$1.92 A$2.67

17.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.38 A$8.87

$7.70 A$10.70

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 A$7.02

$6.45 A$8.97

-21.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 A$2.13

$1.47 A$2.04

4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 A$3.02

$2.34 A$3.25

-7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 A$2.33

$2.01 A$2.80

-16.42%

Eggs

$4.24 A$5.90

$4.51 A$6.27

-5.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 A$10.35

$8.35 A$11.61

-10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 A$11.27

$8.18 A$11.37

-0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 A$16.44

$13.93 A$19.36

-15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 A$5.31

$3.55 A$4.93

7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.13

$2.92 A$4.06

1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.43

$2.83 A$3.94

12.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 A$6.01

$4.76 A$6.61

-9.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 A$3.66

$2.49 A$3.46

5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.46

$1.73 A$2.41

43.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.92 A$2.66

11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.68

$1.46 A$2.03

32.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.09 A$33.49

$32.49 A$45.16

-25.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 A$14.83

$10.97 A$15.24

-2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 A$4.68

$3.87 A$5.38

-13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.75 A$10.78

$4.05 A$5.63

91.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 A$2.77

$2.93 A$4.07

-32.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 A$101

$71.3 A$99.2

1.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 A$4.87

$3.98 A$5.54

-11.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 A$2.01

$2.21 A$3.07

-34.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.27 A$67.1

$50.3 A$69.9

-4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.56

$1.16 A$1.61

-3.45%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$28.6K A$39.7K

-21.51%

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

$19.5K A$27.2K

$24.3K A$33.8K

-19.60%

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

$152 A$211

$154 A$214

-1.15%

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

$34.74 A$48.29

$27.61 A$38.37

25.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 A$81.1

$55.5 A$77.2

5.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.34 A$60.2

$41.08 A$57.1

5.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 A$20.01

$15.77 A$21.93

-8.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 A$21.13

$16.38 A$22.77

-7.20%

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

$1,138 A$1,581

$1,790 A$2,488

-36.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$16.9K

$12.3K A$17.0K

-0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.3 A$135

$70.2 A$97.6

38.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 A$85.5

$48.80 A$67.8

26.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 A$138

$103 A$143

-3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 A$165

$105 A$145

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 A$1,703

$1,527 A$2,123

-19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 A$1,504

$1,163 A$1,616

-6.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,376 A$3,302

$2,488 A$3,458

-4.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 A$2,650

$1,783 A$2,478

6.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,087 A$7,071

$6,459 A$8,978

-21.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,154 A$5,775

$4,912 A$6,827

-15.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,109 A$5,712

$4,379 A$6,087

-6.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

6.42

-5.61%

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

Last update for Townsville: April 26, 2026

Last update for Perth: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,225 in Townsville and $1,527 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 7% 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: $61.0 in Townsville vs $77.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $329 vs $328, 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

Townsville vs Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Townsville is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Perth earns 7% less. 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: $1,225 in Townsville versus $1,527 in Perth. 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 $1,138 in Townsville versus $1,790 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,193 in Townsville versus $2,310 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, Townsville 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 Townsville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.