Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Darwin vs Perth

Darwin vs Perth

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Darwin 6% cheaper Low / Moderate

Darwin

Christian Bass/Unsplash

Perth

Nathan Hurst/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$4,025

Darwin

$4,265

Perth

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Low

Darwin

Moderate

Perth

Air Quality

5/5

Darwin

5/5

Perth

Healthcare

Low

Darwin

Low

Perth

Population

118.5k

Darwin

1.9m

Perth

Darwin 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

The cost difference is noticeable: Darwin at $4025/mo is 6% cheaper than Perth at $4265/mo, worth considering for extended stays.

For families, Darwin costs $5634.15944423448/mo compared to Perth's $6767.969843260027/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

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

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Darwin and Perth.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Darwin is June (around 31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 403), 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

DarwinPerth

Nomad$4,025/mo$4,265/mo

Expat$2,634/mo$2,858/mo

Local$1,610/mo$1,934/mo

Family$5,634/mo$6,768/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

DarwinPerth

City Speed

80 Mbps

Country Speed80 Mbps80 Mbps

Environment & Health

DarwinPerth

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionLowLow

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity7546

Quality of Life

DarwinPerth

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareLowLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Darwin

Perth

Jan

34°

19mm162

31°

0mm426

Feb

38°

4mm239

34°

0mm406

Mar

38°

12mm239

28°

0mm426

Apr

37°

0mm383

26°

0mm426

May

35°

0mm363

23°

0mm426

Jun

31°

0mm403

16°

0mm373

Jul

32°

0mm403

15°

2mm314

Aug

34°

0mm383

15°

1mm304

Sep

36°

0mm381

19°

0mm406

Oct

39°

1mm355

21°

0mm406

Nov

40°

5mm322

23°

0mm406

Dec

40°

6mm301

30°

0mm426

Who Should Choose Darwin?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 118.5k residents
Peak season in June — 31 degrees, score 403

Who Should Choose Perth?

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

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Perth is the stronger pick. At $4265/mo it beats Darwin's $4025/mo by 6%, and the 80 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Darwin Perth

ItemDarwinPerthDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$14.27$16.99

16%

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

McMeal or equivalent combo$10.87$9.48

13%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.46$3.36

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$6.8$6.8

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$5.78$6.8

15%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$2.37$2.5

Water (0.33L)$2.32$2.17

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.16$1.61

28%

White bread (500g)$2.07$1.95

White rice (1kg)$2.31$1.88

19%

Eggs (12)$4.25$4.06

Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.43$8.7

Beef round (1kg)$14.78$13.32

10%

Local cheese (1kg)$7.61$7.3

Apples (1kg)$3.56$3.3

Bananas (1kg)$2.91$2.53

13%

Oranges (1kg)$3.3$2.55

23%

Tomatoes (1kg)$4.3$3.97

Potatoes (1kg)$2.89$2.06

29%

Onions (1kg)$2.8$1.45

48%

Lettuce (1 head)$2.8$1.74

38%

Water (1.5L bottle)$2.31$1.47

36%

Wine, mid-range bottle$13.59$12.23

10%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$4.38$4.29

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$4.93$4.59

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$26.5$27.18

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$2.04$2.72

25%

Monthly transport pass$43.14$91.55

53%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.81$3.57

Taxi per 1km$1.05$1.16

Taxi 1hr waiting$37.64$40.77

Gasoline (1L)$1.34$1.32

Volkswagen Golf (new)$19,334.04$22,354.77

14%

Toyota Corolla (new)$18,311.95$20,049.89

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$170.7$142.85

16%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$60.68$53.26

12%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.42$0.54

22%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$43.09$43.53

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$20.9$9.31

55%

Cinema, 1 ticket$16.65$13.59

18%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$1,766.91$1,330.84

25%

International primary school/yr$7,588.64$11,941.18

36%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$64.56$65.71

Summer dress (chain store)$40.77$42.79

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$105.33$99.14

Men's leather business shoes$113.26$112.89

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,062.41$1,229.79

14%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$634.27$975.62

35%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$2,355.88$2,043.14

13%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$1,770.3$1,480.77

16%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,086.42$4,587.16

33%

Price per m², outside centre$2,378.53$3,584.6

34%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$4,728.33$4,255.91

10%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$4.08$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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