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City Face-Off: Perth vs Gold Coast
- Cost of Living in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Real Estate Prices in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Diversity and Demographics in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Career Opportunities in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Crime and Safety in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Lifestyle in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Weather in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Healthcare in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Transportation Options in Perth vs Gold Coast
- Perth vs Gold Coast: How They Stack Up
Perth and Gold Coast are two amazing cities located on both ends of the Australian continent. While both cities have a lot of amazing things that make them appealing, there are still a few key differences that set them apart from one another.
If your primary concerns are real estate prices and career opportunities, Perth is a better choice than Gold Coast. However, Gold Coast is the preferable option if cost of living and lifestyle are your top priorities.
Find out below how we came to this conclusion!
Cost of Living in Perth vs Gold Coast
| The cost of living in Perth is 5% higher than Gold Coast’s. In Perth, it’s $2,251 per month, but in Gold Coast, it’s $2,147. |
To help you see the cost difference between Perth and Gold Coast in detail, here’s a breakdown of common living expenses in both cities.
The data presented here are statistics provided by LivingCost.org in September 2023.
| Expenses | Average Cost in Perth | Average Cost in Gold Coast |
| Housing (Average Rent per Month) | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment (downtown) | $1,877 | $1,291 |
| 1-bedroom apartment (low-demand suburbs) | $926 | $1,188 |
| 3-bedroom apartment (downtown) | $1,918 | $2,539 |
| 3-bedroom apartment (low-demand suburbs) | $1,435 | $1,889 |
| Utilities (Average Monthly Bill) | ||
| Utility bill (one person) | $124 | $77.9 |
| Utility bill (family) | $216 | $119 |
| Internet plan (50 mbps) | $55.2 | $53.8 |
| Transportation | ||
| 1-way ticket (local transport ticket) | $3.09 | $3.41 |
| Monthly pass (local transport ticket) | $113 | $109 |
| Gasoline (1 L) | $1.3 | $1.28 |
| Groceries | ||
| Milk (1 L or 1 qt) | $1.62 | $1.25 |
| Bread (0.5 kg or 1.1 lbs) | $2.08 | $2.03 |
| Rice (1 kg or 2.2 lbs) | $2.06 | $2.33 |
| Eggs (a dozen) | $4.42 | $3.13 |
| Cheese (1 kg or 2.2 lbs) | $11.8 | $6.93 |
| Chicken breast (1 kg) | $8.67 | $7.9 |
| Potato (1 kg or 2.2 lbs) | $2.36 | $2.18 |
| Eating Out | ||
| Fast food meal | $10.1 | $10.3 |
| Dinner in a mid-range restaurant (for 2 people) | $73.3 | $60.8 |
As you can see, most goods and services cost more in Perth than in Gold Coast. This is where geography comes into play, as Gold Coast is only a few hundred kilometres away from most major cities like Brisbane and Sydney.
Meanwhile, the nearest major city to Perth is Adelaide, which is 2,100 kilometres away.
Thus, any goods and services not produced in Western Australia are subjected to higher prices in Perth, as companies have to spend more to transport their products to the said city.
Real Estate Prices in Perth vs Gold Coast
| Perth has significantly lower real estate prices than Gold Coast. According to reports published by Michael Yardney’s Property Investment Update and The Urban Developer in September 2023, the average price for a single-family home in Perth is 47.8% cheaper than in Gold Coast. An apartment unit is also 42.4% cheaper in Perth than in Gold Coast. |
Here’s a breakdown of real estate prices in Perth and Gold Coast provided by the aforementioned sources:
| Property Type | Perth | Gold Coast |
| Single-family home (inside the metropolitan area) | $634,169 | $1,032,755 |
| Apartment unit | $431,474 | $663,503 |
| Single-family home (outside the metropolitan area) | $437,201 | – |
Diversity and Demographics in Perth vs Gold Coast
| Both Perth and Gold Coast have people of various ancestries, but more people in Perth were born outside Australia. According to statistics that Informed Decisions and Population U released in 2023, only 29.1% of the residents living in Gold Coast were born outside of Australia, which is smaller than Perth’s 35%. |
Please take note that Perth has a larger population and land area compared to Gold Coast.
However, Gold Coast has a higher population density than Perth, meaning that it has more people living per square kilometre.
To help you get a better grasp of the difference in demographics between these two cities, here’s a quick table showing a couple of factors like median age and population size.
The data listed here was provided by Population Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics in September 2023.
| Perth | Gold Coast | |
| Geographic Location | Western Australia | Queensland |
| Size (Area) | 6,417.9 km2 | 1,334 km2 |
| Population | 2,224,475 | 640,778 |
| Female Population | 50.6% | 51.4% |
| Male Population | 49.4% | 48.6% |
| Median Age | 32 years old | 39 years old |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 83.8 years old | 83.5 years old |
Aside from the population size and land area, there aren’t too many differences between the two cities.
But how racially diverse are these populations? We’ll know that by using the ancestry records provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The data below was gathered in September 2023.
| Nominated Ancestries | Perth | Nominated Ancestries | Gold Coast | |
| English | 36.8% | English | 29.3% | |
| Australian | 27.8% | Australian | 22.5% | |
| Irish | 8.8% | Irish | 8.2% | |
| Scottish | 8.7% | Scottish | 7.5% | |
| Italian | 5.5% | German | 3.6% | |
| Chinese | 5.5% | Italian | 2.5% | |
| Indian | 3.6% | Chinese | 2.4% | |
| German | 2.8% | Indigenous | 1.7% | |
| Dutch | 2% | Dutch | 1.6% | |
| Filipino | 1.9% | Indian | 1.4% | |
| Aboriginal | 1.8% | Filipino | 1.3% | |
| South African | 1.4% | Maori | 1.2% | |
| Maori | 1.1% | Polish | 0.9% | |
| Vietnamese | 1.1% | French | 0.8% | |
| New Zealander | 1.1% | |||
| Samoan | 0.7% | |||
| Croatian | 1% | |||
| Greek | 0.6% |
As the table shows, both cities have a fair amount of minorities, but Perth is a more culturally diverse city, as a greater portion of its population come from overseas than Gold Coast.
Historically, Australia has been a preferred destination for many immigrants from all around the world. That’s especially true after the end of World War II when many Europeans decided to look for a better life elsewhere.
That’s why most residents in Perth and Gold Coast identified themselves as having an ancestry that originated in Europe.
Nowadays, there are also people coming from other continents aside from Europe who have decided to settle in these two cities.
In Gold Coast, most of its residents who were born overseas came from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, China, South Africa, and Japan.
Meanwhile, most of Perth’s residents who were born overseas came from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, India, South Africa, and China.
Career Opportunities in Perth vs Gold Coast
| According to data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in September 2023, Perth is more favourable for job seekers than Gold Coast. The state of Western Australia (including Perth) has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, while Queensland (including Gold Coast) has an unemployment rate of 4.1%. |
When it comes to net income, Perth has a clear edge over Gold Coast.
According to Budget Direct, those living in Perth earn $5,417.28 per month on average, while those in Gold Coast earn $4,937.05 per month.
I must also state that Perth residents have 16.95% higher purchasing power compared to Gold Coast residents.
Generally, having a higher purchasing power is good, as it means that even if the residents in these two cities earn the same amount of money, those in Perth are able to buy more goods and services with their money.
Crime and Safety in Perth vs Gold Coast
| Perth had more crimes than Gold Coast from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, according to data from the Western Australian Police Force and Queensland Police Service. Perth had 184,194 crimes recorded, while Gold Coast had 61,287. Unfortunately, both cities have experienced an upward trend in their crime reports over the past few years. |
At first glance, it looks like Perth is a less safe city to live in than the Gold Coast. However, let’s remember the fact that Perth is a larger city than Gold Coast, both in population and land area.
That’s why it’s important that we also examine their actual crime rate.
Between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, the crime rate in Perth was 82.8 for every 1,000 residents. Meanwhile, Gold Coast’s crime rate during the same period was 95.6 for every 1,000 residents.
Based on this data, we can conclude that Gold Coast has a higher amount of crimes per capita than Perth.
Lifestyle in Perth vs Gold Coast
| Perth is the better choice to live in if you prefer calm weather and a lower cost of living. However, Gold Coast is better if your priorities are better connections to other major Australian cities like Sydney as well as cool temperatures on most days of the year. |
To help you understand better what life is like in these two cities, I compared their weather, public transportation, and healthcare.
Weather in Perth vs Gold Coast
There is no clear winner between the two cities when talking about the climate, as both have their strengths and weaknesses.
Perth has a Mediterranean climate, while Gold Coast has a humid subtropical climate. Perth experiences hotter days during its summer, but Gold Coast is more prone to extreme weather events like storms and cyclones.
If we’re talking about the climate of Perth in detail, you should know that The City of Lights actually has some of the longest periods of sunny days in Australia. In fact, Perth is dubbed “the sunniest city of Australia” for that reason.
Perth experiences all four seasons; however, it doesn’t experience them the same way as most cities in temperate climates. For instance, the city doesn’t experience snowfall during the winter.
Also, the annual average temperature of Perth is 24.8 °C (76.6 °F), and its annual rainfall level is 790 millimetres.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast is generally cooler, as its annual average temperature is only 20.4°C (68.7 °F). Its hottest days are during the summer, when average temperatures can reach up to 28.4°C (83.1°F).
As stated earlier, Gold Coast is more prone to storms and heavy rains. Compared to Perth’s 790 millimetres of annual rainfall, Gold Coast can have up to 1,400 millimetres of rainfall annually.
Overall, I say that it’s up to you to decide which is better. If you’re a fan of outdoor activities, then Perth is the better city.
However, Gold Coast is a better choice if you prefer cooler days instead.
Healthcare in Perth vs Gold Coast
In a survey by Numbeo, Perth has a healthcare system index of 68.22%, which is lower than Gold Coast’s 78.99%.
However, please take note that these indices were based on Numbeo’s visitor input.
In the said survey, the cities’ healthcare systems were evaluated in the following aspects. The data presented here was gathered in September 2023.
| Perth | Gold Coast | |
| Skill and competency of medical staff | 75% | 83.78% |
| Speed in completing examinations and reports | 68.67% | 76.35% |
| Equipment for modern diagnosis and treatment | 81.79% | 86.81% |
| Accuracy and completeness in filling out reports | 71.05% | 84.46% |
| Friendliness and courtesy of the staff | 71.81% | 79.05% |
| Responsiveness (waitings) in medical institutions | 52.94% | 63.89% |
| Satisfaction with cost | 58.44% | 75.69% |
| Convenience of location | 75.81% | 85.14% |
Aside from the perceived effectiveness of the healthcare systems of these two cities, we should also discuss the initiatives Perth and Gold Coast have launched to improve their healthcare systems.
In Gold Coast, their healthcare officials are focused on tackling the increasing obesity rate. Called the Active and Healthy City Strategy 2018-2022, this initiative aims to promote healthy eating and physical activity among Gold Coast’s residents.
Gold Coast also has the Get Set for Surgery program, which seeks to improve patients’ preparation before a major surgery so that they’ll have higher chances of surviving.
Meanwhile, Western Australia (whose capital is Perth) has also launched initiatives to improve the state of its healthcare system. In 2023 alone, the government of Western Australia has allocated an additional $1.9 billion to its healthcare budget.
Most of the money will go towards supplying new hospital beds to many public hospitals across the state. A portion of the money will also be used to hire new doctors and nurses to support Western Australia’s rapidly growing population.
Perth is also helping senior citizens by offering free or cheap ambulance services for those who are over 65 years old.
Transportation Options in Perth vs Gold Coast
While both Perth and Gold Coast have well-developed public transportation systems, there is still a huge difference when it comes to their average commute times.
A survey on Numbeo reveals that residents of Perth have significantly longer commutes than those in Gold Coast.
Those living in Perth on average have to spend 46.27 minutes on their daily commute, which is 15 minutes longer than the 31.12 minutes for those living in Gold Coast.
In Perth, most of its residents rely on ferries, buses, and trains to get around the city. Meanwhile, residents of Gold Coast can rely on trains, buses, and trams for their daily commute.
Surprisingly, only 3.3% of households in Gold Coast heavily use public transportation (ABC News). This pales in comparison to Perth, where almost a quarter of the population mostly relies on public transportation to get around the city (.id).
Experts say that the reasons why Gold Coast remains a car-centric city are a) its continued implementation of financial incentives that encourage car reliance and b) its policies that favour car owners more when it comes to land use.
As for the monthly passes these two cities offer, Perth has the SmartRider card, while Gold Coast has the go card.
With the SmartRider card, you can easily ride on any of Perth’s trains, buses, and ferries without having to buy a separate ticket. This card also grants its users a 10% discount on all fares.
Special versions of SmartRider cards also exist, like the student version, which lets its users enjoy up to a 70% discount on fares during weekdays within the school year.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast’s go card is also usable on every bus, train, tram, and ferry in the city. The best thing about it, though, is that you can also use it in nearby cities like Brisbane and Sunshine Coast.
Another amazing thing about go cards is that they give you a 30% discount on all fares!
Before we move on, let’s quickly discuss how the residents of Perth and Gold Coast travel to other major cities in Australia.
This is where Gold Coast has a clear advantage over Perth. Because Gold Coast is only a few hundred kilometres from most major cities like Sydney and Brisbane, its residents can easily travel to these cities via train, bus, or car.
Meanwhile, Perth’s huge distance from these cities means its residents will take days to travel via train or bus. In most cases, travelling by aeroplane is the most efficient way for Perthites to travel outside their city.
Perth vs Gold Coast: How They Stack Up
It’s time for us to wrap this up with a quick summary of everything we discussed earlier.
| Factors | The Better City | Why |
| Cost of Living | Gold Coast | The cost of living in Gold Coast is 5% cheaper than Perth. |
| Real Estate | Perth | The real estate prices in Perth are significantly lower than Gold Coast. |
| Diversity and Demographics | Perth | Both cities have diverse populations, but Perth has a higher proportion of residents who come from overseas, resulting in a richer mix of cultures. |
| Career Opportunities | Perth | Perth has a lower unemployment rate, and its residents enjoy a higher monthly average net salary compared to those in Gold Coast. |
| Crime Index | Perth | Perth has a lower crime rate than Gold Coast. |
| Lifestyle | Gold Coast | Perth has a calmer climate than Gold Coast. Residents of these two cities believe Gold Coast has a more efficient healthcare system than Perth. Both cities have a well-developed public transportation network, but residents in Gold Coast experience shorter commute times and enjoy bigger discounts on their monthly passes. |
