If you plan to move to Australia, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is choosing a city to live in. This huge outdoorsy country has many beautiful cities, which makes it difficult to choose one quickly. Sydney remains the top choice of migrants, but Perth does not lag too far behind in the game.
Comparing the cost of living in Perth and Sydney will help you pick a city that suits your lifestyle, budget, and career. Here, we delve into the costs of rent, utilities, transport, food, education, and more to help you make the right choice.
Cost Of Living: Perth vs Sydney
Perth has an overall lower cost of living than Sydney. The monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is cheaper by 21.3%. Meanwhile, a loaf of white bread costs 19.1% less, and one-way local transportation saves you 24.4%.
Although Perth seems like a budget-friendly city, you must consider the work opportunities and salaries the two cities offer. Sydney offers 19.6% better salaries on average.
Let’s dig deeper into the cost of living in Perth and Sydney. We’ve presented all the figures below in Australian dollars for easy understanding.
Perth vs Sydney: Housing
Housing costs are lower in Perth, irrespective of whether you buy or rent an apartment.
Here are the monthly rent costs in Perth and Sydney:
| Monthly Rent | Perth | Sydney |
| 1-bedroom apartment in the center of the city | 2,357.00 A$ | 2,860.07 A$ |
| 1-bedroom apartment outside the city center | 1,762.04 A$ | 2,079.29 A$ |
| 3-bedroom apartment in the city center | 3,686.00 A$ | 5,859.25 A$ |
| 3-bedroom apartment outside the city center | 2,613.28 A$ | 3,625.30 A$ |
Here are the prices for buying an apartment in the two cities:
| Apartment Purchase Prices | Perth | Sydney |
| Per square meter price to buy an apartment in the city center | 9,184.02 A$ | 21,179.03 A$ |
| Per square meter price to buy an apartment outside the city center | 7,434.41 A$ | 12,857.08 A$ |
Perth vs Sydney: Utilities
Your monthly bill will vary depending on your house’s size and consumption. But utilities are typically less expensive in Sydney than in Perth.
Here are the monthly costs of utilities in the two cities:
| Monthly Utilities | Perth | Sydney |
| Basic amenities like water, electricity, heating, cooling, and garbage for an 85 sq m apartment | 304.88 A$ | 255.08 A$ |
| 1 min. of prepaid local mobile tariff | 0.98 A$ | 0.87 A$ |
| Internet (60 Mbps or more, cable/ADSL, unlimited data) | 86.69 A$ | 79.56 A$ |
Perth vs Sydney: Goods And Services
Besides housing and utilities, you must also factor in transportation, clothing, and recreation costs.
Transport
Transportation is often cheaper in Perth than in Sydney:
| Transportation | Perth | Sydney |
| A one-way ticket for local transport | 4.00 A$ | 4.97 A$ |
| Monthly pass | 150.00 A$ | 217.39 A$ |
| Taxi start | 6.54 A$ | 5.00 A$ |
| Taxi 1 km | 1.86 A$ | 2.70 A$ |
| Taxi 1-hour waiting | 85.00 A$ | 60.00 A$ |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.97 A$ | 2.03 A$ |
Clothing And Footwear
Here are the cost differences in clothing and shoes in Perth and Sydney:
| Clothing And Footwear | Perth | Sydney |
| A summer dress in a chain store | 86.97 A$ | 82.98 A$ |
| A pair of jeans | 113.09 A$ | 120.28 A$ |
| A pair of Nike running shoes (mid-range) | 178.39 A$ | 171.53 A$ |
| A pair of men’s leather business shoes | 208.34 A$ | 193.36 A$ |
Sports And Leisure
Here is how much you have to pay for recreational activities in the two cities:
| Sports and Leisure Activities | Perth | Sydney |
| Tennis court rent (1 hour on weekends) | 18.56 A$ | 25.75 A$ |
| Fitness club, monthly fee for 1 adult | 73.62 A$ | 88.17 A$ |
| Cinema, international release, 1 seat | 22.00 A$ | 22.00 A$ |
Perth vs Sydney: Food
Food and groceries eat into your monthly budget, especially if you live with a family.
Here are the prices of some staples, meat, and other food items in Perth and Sydney:
| Item | Perth | Sydney |
| White rice (1 kg) | 3.25 A$ | 3.06 A$ |
| Loaf of white bread (500g) | 3.13 A$ | 3.73 A$ |
| Eggs (1 dozen) | 6.39 A$ | 5.98 A$ |
| Chicken fillets (1 kg) | 13.27 A$ | 12.27 A$ |
| Beef round (1 kg) | 22.00 A$ | 20.03 A$ |
| Milk (1 liter) | 2.60 A$ | 2.28 A$ |
| Water (1.5-liter bottle) | 2.44 A$ | 2.24 A$ |
| Domestic beer (0.5-liter bottle) | 6.75 A$ | 6.52 A$ |
| Imported beer (0.33-liter bottle) | 7.65 A$ | 7.07 A$ |
| Bottle of wine (Mid-range) | 19.00 A$ | 18.00 A$ |
| Cheese (1 kg) (local) | 12.48 A$ | 13.45 A$ |
| Apples (1 kg) | 5.19 A$ | 4.43 A$ |
| Banana (1 kg) | 3.82 A$ | 3.65 A$ |
| Oranges (1 kg) | 4.15 A$ | 3.95 A$ |
| Tomato (1 kg) | 6.52 A$ | 7.60 A$ |
| Onion (1 kg) | 2.49 A$ | 3.25 A$ |
| Potato (1 kg) | 3.16 A$ | 3.74 A$ |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 3.00 A$ | 4.17 A$ |
| Cigarettes (Marlboro pack of 20) | 40.00 A$ | 41.00 A$ |
Dining Out
A 3-course meal for 2 people at a mid-range restaurant costs less in Perth. However, meals at an inexpensive restaurant or McDonald’s cost the same as in Sydney. But hard and soft drinks cost more in Perth.
| Dining Out Costs | Perth | Sydney |
| 3-course meal for 2 people at a mid-range restaurant | 120.00 A$ | 130.00 A$ |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 25.00 A$ | 25.00 A$ |
| McMeal at McDonald’s | 15.00 A$ | 15.00 A$ |
| Domestic beer (0.5-liter draught) | 11.00 A$ | 10.00 A$ |
| Imported beer (0.33-liter bottle) | 12.00 A$ | 10.00 A$ |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33-liter bottle) | 4.08 A$ | 3.43 A$ |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.23 A$ | 4.69 A$ |
| Water (0.33-liter bottle) | 3.46 A$ | 3.21 A$ |
Perth vs Sydney: Education
Factoring in the cost of education in the city that you are moving to is necessary if you have kids or plan to become a parent later on. This will help you better understand the costs of relocating with your family and choose a city that suits your budget.
| Education | Perth | Sydney |
| Monthly cost of private full-day preschool or kindergarten for a child | 2,402.54 A$ | 2,522.89 A$ |
| Yearly cost of international primary school for a child | 22,832.00 A$ | 23,717.6 A$ |
Perth vs Sydney: Salaries
The average monthly net salary is A$5,271.27 in Perth and A$6,302.43 in Sydney. So, people in Sydney earn A$1,032.16 more than people in Perth.
Sydney is also known for having the best job opportunities in Australia. Banking, finance, legal, and insurance firms abound in its Central Business District (CBD). The city’s other thriving industries are healthcare, media, architecture, and construction.
Many multinational firms also have their headquarters here, which has led to increased job opportunities.
Meanwhile, although a smaller city, Perth also has a thriving work scene. Mining, construction, hospitality, and environmental sustainability are some industries where experienced professionals are in high demand.
Conclusion
We hope our comparison guide on the cost of living in Perth and Sydney helped you decide which city to live in. Keep in mind the various costs before you make your move to either one of these cities.
If you need more info about other interesting cities in Australia, have a look at these articles: