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

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

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

Living in Townsville costs roughly 10% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.30 A$30.22

$20.15 A$28.58

5.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 A$98.7

$85.7 A$122

-18.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 A$17.07

$10.91 A$15.48

10.27%

Cappuccino

$3.71 A$5.27

$4.37 A$6.19

-15.10%

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

$2.54 A$3.60

$2.90 A$4.11

-12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 A$3.50

$2.17 A$3.08

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 A$11.78

$8.54 A$12.11

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 A$10.09

$8.31 A$11.78

-14.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.50

$1.73 A$2.46

1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.28

$2.93 A$4.16

-21.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 A$2.02

$2.09 A$2.96

-31.58%

Eggs

$5.12 A$7.26

$5.09 A$7.21

0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.55

$8.93 A$12.67

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.01 A$14.20

$9.36 A$13.27

6.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 A$19.24

$13.89 A$19.70

-2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.61

$4.37 A$6.20

-9.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.96

$3.12 A$4.42

-10.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 A$5.11

$3.32 A$4.70

8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.89

$5.34 A$7.58

-22.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.80

$2.86 A$4.06

-6.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.68

$1.90 A$2.70

36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 A$3.29

$2.30 A$3.26

0.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$3.02

$1.41 A$2.00

51.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.91 A$42.44

$41.23 A$58.5

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 A$14.99

$13.54 A$19.20

-21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.67 A$9.46

$4.31 A$6.12

54.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 A$11.67

$3.48 A$4.93

136.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 A$3.14

$2.39 A$3.39

-7.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.0 A$111

$97.4 A$138

-19.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 A$5.49

$3.60 A$5.10

7.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 A$3.38

$1.39 A$1.98

71.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.5 A$75.8

$41.08 A$58.3

30.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 A$1.73

$1.24 A$1.76

-1.61%

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

$27.7K A$39.3K

$27.3K A$38.8K

1.44%

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

$35.5K A$50.3K

$30.6K A$43.4K

15.79%

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

$391 A$555

$198 A$281

97.74%

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

$35.97 A$51.0

$32.76 A$46.47

9.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 A$94.8

$61.6 A$87.4

8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 A$79.1

$53.7 A$76.2

3.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.78 A$28.06

$21.90 A$31.06

-9.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 A$21.87

$17.26 A$24.49

-10.66%

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

$2,118 A$3,005

$2,293 A$3,253

-7.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K A$29.4K

$23.0K A$32.7K

-10.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 A$134

$75.6 A$107

24.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 A$100

$64.2 A$91.0

10.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 A$231

$116 A$165

40.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$184

$159 A$226

-18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 A$1,880

$1,911 A$2,711

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 A$1,687

$1,564 A$2,218

-23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 A$3,508

$2,801 A$3,973

-11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 A$2,872

$2,108 A$2,990

-3.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,931 A$6,995

$8,192 A$11.6K

-39.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,025 A$5,709

$5,740 A$8,143

-29.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,013 A$5,693

$4,267 A$6,053

-5.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.96

-7.05%

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

Last update for Townsville: August 3, 2026

Last update for Perth: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Townsville and $1,911 in Perth. 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: $70.0 in Townsville vs $86.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $365, 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 Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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

Childcare runs $2,118 in Townsville versus $2,293 in Perth. 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, 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 11% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.