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Perth vs Queenstown cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฆ๐บ Perth
๐ณ๐ฟ Queenstown
At a glance
- Where Queenstown is clearly cheaper: Cocktail & wine (38%โ), Transit (35%โ), Half-day tour (24%โ)
- Where Perth is clearly cheaper: SIM card (38%โ), Entry ticket (29%โ), Laundry (24%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: getting around โ Perth 2 vs Queenstown 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Perth | Queenstown | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | A$ 24$16 | NZ$ 22$13.3 | Queenstown โ17% |
| Street food1 item | A$ 15$10 | NZ$ 15$9.09 | Queenstown โ9% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | A$ 58$38.7 | NZ$ 50$30.3 | Queenstown โ22% |
| Coffeeone cup | A$ 6$4 | NZ$ 5.5$3.33 | Queenstown โ17% |
| Beerone bottle | A$ 13$8.67 | NZ$ 11$6.67 | Queenstown โ23% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | A$ 22$14.7 | NZ$ 15$9.09 | Queenstown โ38% |
| Bottled water | A$ 3$2 | NZ$ 3.5$2.12 | Perth โ6% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | A$ 4$2.67 | NZ$ 4$2.42 | Queenstown โ9% |
| Taxi5 km in town | A$ 17$11.3 | NZ$ 19$11.5 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | A$ 11$7.33 | NZ$ 12$7.27 | similar |
| Transitone ride | A$ 3.5$2.33 | NZ$ 2.5$1.52 | Queenstown โ35% |
| Scooter rentalper day | A$ 35$23.3 | NZ$ 45$27.3 | Perth โ14% |
| Hotel night3-star | A$ 190$127 | NZ$ 200$121 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | A$ 2,500$1,667 | NZ$ 2,500$1,515 | Queenstown โ9% |
| Laundry | A$ 5.5$3.67 | NZ$ 8$4.85 | Perth โ24% |
| SIM card1 week data | A$ 17$11.3 | NZ$ 30$18.2 | Perth โ38% |
| Haircutcut | A$ 40$26.7 | NZ$ 35$21.2 | Queenstown โ20% |
| Massage1 hour | A$ 90$60 | NZ$ 120$72.7 | Perth โ18% |
| Half-day tourper person | A$ 120$80 | NZ$ 100$60.6 | Queenstown โ24% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | A$ 37$24.7 | NZ$ 57$34.5 | Perth โ29% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Perth or Queenstown?
Perth and Queenstown cost about the same. Daily budget $256 vs $232; a month $5,718 vs $5,747.
Which is easier to travel, Perth or Queenstown?
About the same: Perth 1.4/5, Queenstown 1.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Perth and Queenstown?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Perth is about $5,718 and Queenstown about $5,747 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.