Is Perth Expensive?

Australia · Oceania · Currency: AUD

63.5
COLI Index
#35
of 182 Cities
16.4%
Total Deductions
$1,500
1BR Rent/mo

About Perth

Perth has a cost of living index of 63.5, making it a moderate cost city compared to New York (baseline = 100). It ranks #35 out of 182 cities tracked globally.

The local currency is AUD. A salary of $75,000 USD in New York would need to be approximately A$67,672 in Perth to maintain the same purchasing power.

The approximate effective income tax rate in Australia is 16% for a mid-range earner. Including social security and other mandatory deductions, the total deduction rate is approximately 16.4%.

Monthly Cost Breakdown in Perth

Estimated monthly expense allocation for a mid-range earner living in Perth. Housing costs are based on average one-bedroom rent in the city center ($1,500/month), with other categories adjusted for the local cost of living index.

Housing
45%
Food & Groceries
15%
Transportation
8%
Utilities
6%
Healthcare
4%
Other & Savings
22%

Estimates based on a mid-range salary adjusted for Perth's COLI of 63.5 and Australia's total deduction rate of 16.4%. Individual expenses will vary.

Tax & Deductions Breakdown in Perth

Estimated annual deductions for a mid-range salary of A$67,672 in Perth. This shows all mandatory payroll deductions as a local employee.

Income Tax
16%
Total Deductions: 16.4%
Est. Take-Home: A$56,582/yr

Rates shown are for a local employee. Expat rates may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.

Salary Ranges by Job Title in Perth (2026)

Estimated annual salaries in Perth (AUD) adjusted for cost of living. These figures represent local purchasing-power-adjusted ranges based on global baseline data.

Job Title Entry Level Mid Level Senior Level
Doctor (General) A$72,183 A$162,413 A$315,803
Surgeon A$108,275 A$252,642 A$451,146
Dentist A$63,161 A$144,367 A$270,688
Pharmacist A$54,138 A$112,787 A$180,459
Nurse A$27,069 A$52,333 A$90,229
Psychologist A$40,603 A$76,695 A$135,344
Software Engineer A$40,603 A$76,695 A$162,413
DevOps Engineer A$45,115 A$85,718 A$157,901
Data Scientist A$45,115 A$85,718 A$153,390
Mechanical Engineer A$36,092 A$70,379 A$126,321
Civil Engineer A$34,287 A$64,965 A$121,810
Electrical Engineer A$37,896 A$72,183 A$130,832
Architect A$34,287 A$64,965 A$117,298
UX Designer A$36,092 A$67,672 A$126,321
Product Manager A$49,626 A$90,229 A$171,436
Project Manager A$40,603 A$72,183 A$135,344
Financial Analyst A$37,896 A$70,379 A$130,832
Accountant A$31,580 A$55,942 A$99,252
Business Analyst A$37,896 A$67,672 A$126,321
Consultant A$40,603 A$81,206 A$162,413
Investment Banker A$72,183 A$135,344 A$315,803
Actuary A$54,138 A$99,252 A$180,459
Lawyer A$45,115 A$90,229 A$198,504
Paralegal A$27,069 A$46,919 A$76,695
Marketing Manager A$34,287 A$64,965 A$121,810
Sales Manager A$36,092 A$72,183 A$144,367
Graphic Designer A$27,069 A$49,626 A$90,229
Content Writer A$22,557 A$45,115 A$81,206
HR Manager A$34,287 A$63,161 A$117,298
Operations Manager A$40,603 A$73,988 A$135,344
CEO / Executive A$90,229 A$198,504 A$451,146
Teacher A$22,557 A$43,310 A$76,695
Professor A$45,115 A$85,718 A$162,413
Research Scientist A$40,603 A$76,695 A$139,855
Pilot A$45,115 A$108,275 A$225,573
Chef A$22,557 A$45,115 A$90,229
Journalist A$22,557 A$46,919 A$85,718

Salary ranges are estimates adjusted by Perth's COLI (63.5) relative to the New York baseline (100). Actual salaries depend on experience, company, and industry.

How Much Do You Need to Earn in Perth?

Understanding your take-home pay is critical when evaluating a move to Perth. With total deductions of approximately 16.4% (income tax + social security) in Australia and average one-bedroom rent of $1,500/month, here is what a mid-range salary looks like:

A$67,672
Gross Annual (Mid-Range)
A$4,714
Monthly Take-Home

After taxes, a mid-range earner in Perth takes home approximately A$4,714 per month. With housing consuming roughly 45% of after-tax income, careful budgeting is essential in this moderate cost city. Your purchasing power in Perth is 157% of what it would be in New York for the same nominal salary.

Neighborhoods in Perth

22 neighborhoods tracked with cost multipliers relative to the city average. This neighborhood-level data helps you understand exactly how costs vary within Perth.

NeighborhoodMultipliervs City Avg
Dalkeith 1.25x +25%
Cottesloe 1.22x +22%
CBD 1.18x +18%
Subiaco 1.15x +15%
Applecross 1.15x +15%
Claremont 1.12x +12%
Nedlands 1.10x +10%
South Perth 1.10x +10%
Leederville 1.08x +8%
Fremantle 1.05x +5%
Mount Lawley 1.02x +2%
Victoria Park 1.00x +0%
Northbridge 0.95x -5%
Karrinyup 0.92x -8%
Scarborough 0.90x -10%
Morley 0.85x -15%
Innaloo 0.85x -15%
Joondalup 0.82x -18%
Cannington 0.80x -20%
Rockingham 0.78x -22%
Armadale 0.72x -28%
Midland 0.72x -28%

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Salary Comparison: Perth vs Other Cities

To maintain the same standard of living as $75,000 USD in Perth, here's what you'd need in other cities:

City COLI Equivalent Salary Difference
New York 100 $118,110 +36%
London 87.5 £77,821 +27%
Singapore 87.7 S$134,938 +28%
Dubai 72.4 AED 309,787 +12%
Berlin 51.2 €51,274 -19%
Tokyo 77.3 ¥14,143,128 +18%
Sydney 74.5 A$125,031 +15%
Toronto 62.3 C$99,625 -2%

Compare Perth With Other Cities

See detailed side-by-side comparisons of salaries, rent, taxes, and neighborhoods.

Perth vs Abu Dhabi Perth vs Amsterdam Perth vs Athens Perth vs Atlanta Perth vs Auckland Perth vs Austin Perth vs Bali (Denpasar) Perth vs Bangalore Perth vs Bangkok Perth vs Barcelona Perth vs Beijing Perth vs Berlin Perth vs Bogotá Perth vs Boston Perth vs Brussels Perth vs Bucharest Perth vs Budapest Perth vs Buenos Aires Perth vs Cairo Perth vs Cancún Perth vs Cape Town Perth vs Casablanca Perth vs Charlotte Perth vs Chennai Perth vs Chiang Mai Perth vs Chicago Perth vs Copenhagen Perth vs Dallas Perth vs Delhi Perth vs Denver Perth vs Doha Perth vs Dubai Perth vs Dublin Perth vs Edinburgh Perth vs Fukuoka Perth vs Geneva Perth vs Guangzhou Perth vs Hanoi Perth vs Helsinki Perth vs Ho Chi Minh City Perth vs Hong Kong Perth vs Houston Perth vs Istanbul Perth vs Jakarta Perth vs Krakow Perth vs Kuala Lumpur Perth vs Lagos Perth vs Las Vegas Perth vs Lima Perth vs Lisbon Perth vs London Perth vs Los Angeles Perth vs Luxembourg City Perth vs Madrid Perth vs Manila Perth vs Marrakech Perth vs Medellín Perth vs Melbourne Perth vs Mexico City Perth vs Miami Perth vs Milan Perth vs Minneapolis Perth vs Montevideo Perth vs Montreal Perth vs Mumbai Perth vs Munich Perth vs Málaga Perth vs Nairobi Perth vs Nashville Perth vs New York Perth vs Nice Perth vs Osaka Perth vs Oslo Perth vs Panama City Perth vs Paris Perth vs Philadelphia Perth vs Phnom Penh Perth vs Phoenix Perth vs Phuket Perth vs Playa del Carmen Perth vs Portland Perth vs Porto Perth vs Prague Perth vs Raleigh Perth vs Riga Perth vs Riyadh Perth vs Rome Perth vs San Diego Perth vs San Francisco Perth vs San José (CR) Perth vs Santiago Perth vs Seattle Perth vs Seoul Perth vs Shanghai Perth vs Shenzhen Perth vs Singapore Perth vs Split Perth vs Stockholm Perth vs Sydney Perth vs São Paulo Perth vs Taipei Perth vs Tallinn Perth vs Tampa Perth vs Tel Aviv Perth vs Tokyo Perth vs Toronto Perth vs Valencia Perth vs Vancouver Perth vs Vienna Perth vs Warsaw Perth vs Washington DC Perth vs Zurich

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living index for Perth?

The cost of living index (COLI) for Perth is 63.5, which ranks #35 out of 182 cities globally. New York is the baseline at 100.

How much salary do I need in Perth to match $75,000 in New York?

To maintain the same purchasing power as $75,000 USD in New York, you would need approximately A$67,672 in Perth.

What is the average rent in Perth?

The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Perth is approximately $1,500 USD.

What are the total payroll deductions in Australia?

The approximate effective income tax rate for a mid-range earner in Australia is approximately 16%. Including social security and other mandatory contributions, total deductions are approximately 16.4%.

What are the cheapest neighborhoods in Perth?

The most affordable neighborhoods include Rockingham, Armadale, Midland.

What are the most expensive areas in Perth?

The most expensive neighborhoods are Dalkeith, Cottesloe, CBD.

Data Sources & Methodology

Our cost of living index (COLI) uses New York City as the baseline (COLI = 100). Indices are derived from multiple sources including Numbeo, Expatistan, and national statistics agencies. Exchange rates are sourced from the European Central Bank.

Tax rates represent approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages data and do not constitute tax advice. Neighborhood cost multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data. Salary ranges are modeled by adjusting global baseline figures by each city's COLI.

Last updated: 2026-02-25. Data is refreshed periodically and may not reflect very recent changes. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.

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