Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Brisbane vs Perth

Brisbane vs Perth

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Brisbane 8% cheaper Moderate / Moderate

Brisbane

Brisbane Local Marketing/Unsplash

Perth

Nathan Hurst/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$3,933

Brisbane

$4,265

Perth

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Brisbane

Moderate

Perth

Air Quality

5/5

Brisbane

5/5

Perth

Healthcare

Low

Brisbane

Low

Perth

Population

2.1m

Brisbane

1.9m

Perth

Brisbane and Perth are both in Australia, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Brisbane edges ahead on affordability at $3933/mo compared to Perth's $4265/mo — a 8% gap that matters over time.

For families, Brisbane costs $5772.041877764273/mo compared to Perth's $6767.969843260027/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Brisbane at 80 Mbps and Perth at 80 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

Both Brisbane and Perth share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Brisbane and Perth.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Brisbane is September (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 431), while Perth peaks in January (31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 426). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

BrisbanePerth

Nomad$3,933/mo$4,265/mo

Expat$2,665/mo$2,858/mo

Local$1,649/mo$1,934/mo

Family$5,772/mo$6,768/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

BrisbanePerth

City Speed

80 Mbps

Country Speed80 Mbps80 Mbps

Environment & Health

BrisbanePerth

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionLowLow

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity6846

Quality of Life

BrisbanePerth

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareLowLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Brisbane

Perth

Jan

34°

3mm267

31°

0mm426

Feb

34°

2mm349

34°

0mm406

Mar

29°

1mm359

28°

0mm426

Apr

28°

1mm405

26°

0mm426

May

23°

1mm382

23°

0mm426

Jun

20°

0mm411

16°

0mm373

Jul

18°

0mm401

15°

2mm314

Aug

22°

0mm411

15°

1mm304

Sep

27°

0mm431

19°

0mm406

Oct

28°

1mm416

21°

0mm406

Nov

32°

2mm369

23°

0mm406

Dec

34°

3mm359

30°

0mm426

Who Should Choose Brisbane?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Major city energy with 2.1m residents
Peak season in September — 27 degrees, score 431

Who Should Choose Perth?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in January — 31 degrees, score 426

Overall Verdict

Brisbane ($3933/mo) and Perth ($4265/mo) are well-matched overall. Budget, weather preferences, and lifestyle priorities will determine the better fit.

Granular Price Comparison

Brisbane Perth

ItemBrisbanePerthDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$13.59$16.99

20%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$67.96$67.96

McMeal or equivalent combo$8.83$9.48

Cappuccino (regular)$3.34$3.36

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$6.12$6.8

10%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$6.12$6.8

10%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$2.5$2.5

Water (0.33L)$1.96$2.17

10%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.32$1.61

18%

White bread (500g)$2.11$1.95

White rice (1kg)$1.95$1.88

Eggs (12)$3.23$4.06

20%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$7.65$8.7

12%

Beef round (1kg)$13.62$13.32

Local cheese (1kg)$7.55$7.3

Apples (1kg)$3.01$3.3

Bananas (1kg)$2.4$2.53

Oranges (1kg)$2.7$2.55

Tomatoes (1kg)$4.35$3.97

Potatoes (1kg)$2.25$2.06

Onions (1kg)$1.94$1.45

25%

Lettuce (1 head)$2.65$1.74

34%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.7$1.47

14%

Wine, mid-range bottle$11.55$12.23

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$3.61$4.29

16%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.29$4.59

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$27.18$27.18

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$3.57$2.72

24%

Monthly transport pass$134.56$91.55

32%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.4$3.57

Taxi per 1km$1.47$1.16

21%

Taxi 1hr waiting$33.44$40.77

18%

Gasoline (1L)$1.38$1.32

Volkswagen Golf (new)$21,746.55$22,354.77

Toyota Corolla (new)$19,223.04$20,049.89

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$143.1$142.85

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$51.29$53.26

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.38$0.54

30%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$41.84$43.53

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$14.1$9.31

34%

Cinema, 1 ticket$12.23$13.59

10%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$1,380.4$1,330.84

International primary school/yr$7,384.76$11,941.18

38%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$72.56$65.71

Summer dress (chain store)$42.17$42.79

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$107.32$99.14

Men's leather business shoes$110.19$112.89

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,332.28$1,229.79

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,030.16$975.62

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,163.03$2,043.14

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,438.11$1,480.77

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$6,667.65$4,587.16

31%

Price per m², outside centre$4,048.6$3,584.6

11%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$4,082.97$4,255.91

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$3.67$3.92

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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