Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Canberra vs Perth

Canberra vs Perth

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Perth 14% cheaper High / Moderate

Canberra

Social Estate/Unsplash

Perth

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Nomad Cost

$4,964

Canberra

$4,265

Perth

Internet

Mbps

Safety

High

Canberra

Moderate

Perth

Air Quality

5/5

Canberra

5/5

Perth

Healthcare

Low

Canberra

Low

Perth

Population

395.8k

Canberra

1.9m

Perth

Canberra 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

Perth edges ahead on affordability at $4265/mo versus Canberra's $4964/mo, a 14% difference worth considering for budget-focused nomads.

For families, Canberra costs $7490.107991746764/mo compared to Perth's $6767.969843260027/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

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

Quality of Life

Canberra has a stronger safety profile than Perth, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Canberra and Perth.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Canberra is February (around 29 degrees, 0mm rain, score 413), 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

CanberraPerth

Nomad$4,964/mo$4,265/mo

Expat$3,279/mo$2,858/mo

Local$2,140/mo$1,934/mo

Family$7,490/mo$6,768/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

CanberraPerth

City Speed

80 Mbps

Country Speed80 Mbps80 Mbps

Environment & Health

CanberraPerth

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionLowLow

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity4846

Quality of Life

CanberraPerth

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareLowLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Canberra

Perth

Jan

27°

0mm408

31°

0mm426

Feb

29°

0mm413

34°

0mm406

Mar

25°

0mm413

28°

0mm426

Apr

17°

0mm373

26°

0mm426

May

13°

0mm373

23°

0mm426

Jun

8°

0mm363

16°

0mm373

Jul

8°

0mm363

15°

2mm314

Aug

12°

0mm363

15°

1mm304

Sep

12°

0mm373

19°

0mm406

Oct

19°

0mm393

21°

0mm406

Nov

25°

0mm411

23°

0mm406

Dec

29°

0mm413

30°

0mm426

Who Should Choose Canberra?

High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 395.8k residents
Peak season in February — 29 degrees, score 413

Who Should Choose Perth?

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

Overall Verdict

Overall, Canberra edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $4964/mo it runs 14% cheaper than Perth's $4265/mo, with 80 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Canberra Perth

ItemCanberraPerthDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$15.63$16.99

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$74.75$67.96

McMeal or equivalent combo$8.94$9.48

Cappuccino (regular)$3.29$3.36

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$6.46$6.8

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$6.8$6.8

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$2.29$2.5

Water (0.33L)$1.73$2.17

20%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.4$1.61

13%

White bread (500g)$1.97$1.95

White rice (1kg)$1.82$1.88

Eggs (12)$3.66$4.06

10%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$7.32$8.7

16%

Beef round (1kg)$14.4$13.32

Local cheese (1kg)$8.66$7.3

16%

Apples (1kg)$2.92$3.3

12%

Bananas (1kg)$2.42$2.53

Oranges (1kg)$2.74$2.55

Tomatoes (1kg)$5.03$3.97

21%

Potatoes (1kg)$2$2.06

Onions (1kg)$1.59$1.45

Lettuce (1 head)$2.19$1.74

21%

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.48$1.47

Wine, mid-range bottle$11.89$12.23

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$3.34$4.29

22%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.16$4.59

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$23.79$27.18

12%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$2.19$2.72

19%

Monthly transport pass$71.36$91.55

22%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.56$3.57

Taxi per 1km$1.47$1.16

21%

Taxi 1hr waiting$35.34$40.77

13%

Gasoline (1L)$1.37$1.32

Volkswagen Golf (new)$20,387.39$22,354.77

Toyota Corolla (new)$18,231.66$20,049.89

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$147.67$142.85

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$51.28$53.26

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.27$0.54

50%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$45.75$43.53

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.06$9.31

23%

Cinema, 1 ticket$12.23$13.59

10%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$1,248.73$1,330.84

International primary school/yr$12,096.52$11,941.18

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$58.93$65.71

10%

Summer dress (chain store)$34.06$42.79

20%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$86.65$99.14

13%

Men's leather business shoes$107.66$112.89

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,536.53$1,229.79

20%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,309.63$975.62

26%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,664.05$2,043.14

23%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,902.05$1,480.77

22%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$5,188.42$4,587.16

12%

Price per m², outside centre$3,625.1$3,584.6

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$4,432.43$4,255.91

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$3.05$3.92

22%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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