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City Face-Off: Perth vs Newcastle
- Cost of Living in Perth vs Newcastle
- Real Estate Prices in Perth vs Newcastle
- Diversity and Demographics in Perth vs Newcastle
- Career Opportunities in Perth vs Newcastle
- Crime and Safety in Perth vs Newcastle
- Lifestyle in Perth vs Newcastle
- Weather in Perth vs Newcastle
- Healthcare in Perth vs Newcastle
- Transportation Options in Perth vs Newcastle
- Perth vs Newcastle: How They Stack Up
Moving to a new city can be a stressful and difficult process for most people. That’s why getting it right the first time is a must!
But now, your choices have narrowed down to the last two: Perth and Newcastle. Which of these two best suits your preferences and lifestyle?
If your primary concerns are cost of living and safety, then Newcastle is the better option. However, Perth is better when it comes to factors like cultural diversity and real estate prices.
Still sceptical? Don’t worry. We’ll further compare these cities, closely looking at factors such as cost of living, safety, and lifestyle.
Cost of Living in Perth vs Newcastle
| The cost of living in Perth is 24% higher than Newcastle’s. In Perth, it’s $2,251 per month, but in Newcastle, it’s only $1,770. The difference is especially noticeable if you look at their utility and grocery costs. |
For a more detailed look into the cost difference between Perth and Newcastle, here’s a breakdown of common living expenses in both cities.
The data presented here are statistics provided by LivingCost.org in October 2023.
| Expenses | Average Cost in Perth | Average Cost in Newcastle |
| Housing (Average Rent per Month) | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment (downtown) | $1,877 | $1,249 |
| 1-bedroom apartment (low-demand suburbs) | $926 | $913 |
| 3-bedroom apartment (downtown) | $1,918 | $1,832 |
| 3-bedroom apartment (low-demand suburbs) | $1,435 | $1,403 |
| Utilities (Average Monthly Bill) | ||
| Utility bill (one person per month) | $124 | $67.6 |
| Utility bill (family of four per month) | $216 | $103 |
| Internet plan (50 mbps per month) | $55.2 | $47.9 |
| Transportation | ||
| 1-way ticket (local transport ticket) | $3.09 | $2.17 |
| Monthly pass (local transport ticket) | $113 | $103 |
| Gasoline (1 L) | $1.3 | $1.26 |
| Groceries | ||
| Milk (1 L or 1 qt) | $1.62 | $1.05 |
| Bread (0.5 kg or 1.1 lbs) | $2.08 | $1.83 |
| Rice (1 kg or 2.2 lbs) | $2.06 | $1.16 |
| Eggs (a dozen) | $4.42 | $3.93 |
| Cheese (1 kg or 2.2 lbs) | $11.8 | $11.1 |
| Chicken breast (1 kg) | $8.67 | $7.69 |
| Potato (1 kg or 2.2 lbs) | $2.36 | $2.33 |
| Eating Out | ||
| Fast food meal | $10.1 | $8.64 |
| Dinner in a mid-range restaurant (for two people) | $73.3 | $56.6 |
The data above shows that most goods and services in Newcastle cost far less than those in Perth. There are many reasons why this is the case, but the biggest one is geography.
Newcastle is located on the eastern seaboard of Australia and is close to other major cities like Sydney and Canberra. In fact, the distance between Newcastle and Sydney is less than 160 kilometres!
Meanwhile, Perth is completely isolated from the rest of Australia, with the nearest major city being Adelaide, which is more than 2,100 kilometres away.
This leads most companies, especially those that are based outside of Western Australia, to spend more money to transport their goods and services to Perth. That cost is then passed on to Perthites in the form of higher prices for most products.
Real Estate Prices in Perth vs Newcastle
| Perth has lower real estate prices than Newcastle. According to reports published by Michael Yardney’s Property Investment Update and View in October 2023, the average price for a single-family home in Perth is 30.2% lower than in Newcastle. An apartment unit is also 38.6% cheaper in Perth than in Newcastle. |
Here’s a table further comparing real estate prices in Perth and Newcastle based on October 2023 data from the aforementioned sources.
| Property Type | Perth | Newcastle |
| Single-family home (inside the metropolitan area) | $634,169 | $860,000 |
| Apartment unit | $431,474 | $638,000 |
| Single-family home (outside the metropolitan area) | $437,201 | – |
Diversity and Demographics in Perth vs Newcastle
| While Perth and Newcastle have diverse populations, there are more people in Perth who were born outside Australia. According to statistics that Informed Decisions and Population U released in October 2023, only 14.8% of the residents living in Newcastle were born outside of Australia, which is drastically smaller than Perth’s 36%. |
Perth also has a larger land area and a larger population. However, Newcastle has a higher population density, which means more people are living per square kilometre in Newcastle than in Perth.
To help you learn more about the demographics of Perth and Newcastle, here’s a table that shows a couple of their demographic factors, like median age and current population size.
The data listed here was provided by Population Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics in October 2023.
| Perth | Newcastle | |
| Geographic Location | Western Australia | New South Wales |
| Size (Area) | 6,417.9 km2 | 261.8 km2 |
| Population | 2,224,475 | 348,539 |
| Female Population | 50.6% | 51.1% |
| Male Population | 49.4% | 48.9% |
| Median Age | 32 years old | 39 years old |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 83.8 years old | 83 years old |
Aside from the land area and population size, there isn’t much difference between the demographics of Perth and Newcastle.
Moving on, let’s discuss how racially diverse Perth and Newcastle are. For that, we’ll use the ancestry records provided by Informed Decisions and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Take note that the data presented here was gathered in October 2023.
| Nominated Ancestries | Perth | Nominated Ancestries | Newcastle | |
| English | 36.8% | English | 40.7% | |
| Australian | 27.8% | Australian | 37.8% | |
| Irish | 8.8% | Irish | 12.5% | |
| Scottish | 8.7% | Scottish | 11.6% | |
| Italian | 5.5% | Aboriginal | 4.2% | |
| Chinese | 5.5% | German | 4.2% | |
| Indian | 3.6% | Italian | 2.8% | |
| German | 2.8% | Chinese | 2.1% | |
| Dutch | 2% | Indian | 1.4% | |
| Filipino | 1.9% | Dutch | 1.3% | |
| Aboriginal | 1.8% | Polish | 1.1% | |
| South African | 1.4% | Greek | 1.1% | |
| Maori | 1.1% | Macedonian | 1.1% | |
| Vietnamese | 1.1% | Welsh | 1% | |
| New Zealander | 1.1% | |||
| Filipino | 1% | |||
| Croatian | 1% | |||
| New Zealander | 0.6% |
The data shows that both cities have diverse populations. However, a larger portion of Perth’s population was born overseas, giving the city a more diverse mix of cultures.
There are many reasons why Perth has a higher percentage of its population born overseas.
Historically, Perth served as the gateway for immigrants arriving from Europe via boat to Australia. Most of these immigrants chose to settle down in Perth rather than move onward to eastern cities like Sydney and Brisbane.
That’s why a lot of Perth residents identify themselves as being of British, German, and Italian descent.
Another reason why Perth is a favoured destination for immigrants is its booming economy.
According to this ABC report, the state of Western Australia (including Perth) is still experiencing strong economic growth despite the ongoing worldwide recession.
Meanwhile, the same couldn’t be said about Newcastle. Unlike Perth, this city isn’t a major port of entry for immigrants.
According to statistics published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in May 2023, 12.1% of permanent migrants in Australia settled in Perth, while only 3.5% of them settled in New South Wales cities (including Newcastle) that aren’t Sydney.
Most of Newcastle’s immigrants during the past few years came from countries like the United Kingdom, India, China, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Career Opportunities in Perth vs Newcastle
| According to data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in October 2023, Newcastle is slightly more favourable for job seekers than Perth. The state of Western Australia (including Perth) has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, while New South Wales (including Newcastle) has an unemployment rate of 3.3%. |
Those living in Newcastle also have a higher net income compared to those in Perth.
According to LivingCost.org, those living in Perth earn $3,379 per month on average after taxes, while those living in Newcastle earn $4,507 per month.
I should also mention that Newcastle residents have 39.5% more local purchasing power than Perth residents.
Having a higher local purchasing power is mostly considered a good thing. In this case, it means that those in Newcastle can buy more goods and services with their money even if.
Crime and Safety in Perth vs Newcastle
| Perth had more crimes than Newcastle from July 2022 to June 2023, according to data from the Western Australian Police Force and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Perth had 197,908 crimes recorded, while Newcastle had 16,584. Unfortunately, both Perth and Newcastle have experienced an upward trend in their crime reports over the past few years. |
The number of recorded crimes is an important factor to consider when examining a city’s safety. However, let’s not forget that Perth is a larger city than Newcastle, and it has a far larger population size.
That’s why we must also compare their crime rates.
Between July 2022 and June 2023, the crime rate in Perth was 88.97 for every 1,000 residents.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s crime rate during the same period was 47.58 for every 1,000 residents.
Therefore, Newcastle experiences fewer crimes than Perth.
Lifestyle in Perth vs Newcastle
| Perth is the better city to live in if you love calm weather and doing outdoor activities. However, Newcastle is better if you prefer a cool climate, more efficient healthcare, and easy access to other major Australian cities like Sydney. |
If you want to know how I arrived at that conclusion, I compared Perth’s and Newcastle’s healthcare, weather, and public transportation.
Weather in Perth vs Newcastle
Perth and Newcastle both have good weather that you can enjoy. Perth has a Mediterranean climate, while Newcastle has a humid subtropical climate.
Both climates have their own pros and cons, so you’ll need to consider which of them best suits your preferred lifestyle.
Starting with Perth, the city’s Mediterranean climate means it experiences calm weather most of the year. Perth seldomly encounters long periods of rainfall, which has led to it being known as the sunniest city in Australia.
The City of Lights has an average annual maximum temperature of only 24.6°C (76.3°F), and its average annual rainfall is only 733 mm.
Based on this data, I can confidently say that Perth is the best city for people who love doing outdoor activities.
However, the city’s lack of rainfall means it’s arid, especially during the summer, when Perthites sometimes encounter heatwaves and intense droughts.
In fact, the city recorded its hottest day ever on February 23, 1991. The temperature peaked that day at 46.2°C!
As for Newcastle, the city’s humid subtropical climate means it experiences mildly warm weather throughout the year, with an average annual maximum temperature of 23.3°C (73.9°F).
Also, Newcastle typically experiences at least 1,105 mm of rainfall every year.
Newcastle is a better choice for those who love cooler weather. In fact, the average annual minimum temperature of the city is 13.4°C (56.2°F).
However, a downside that comes with Newcastle’s climate is that the city experiences bad weather more frequently than Perth. The city’s humid climate can also make hotter days extremely uncomfortable.
Healthcare in Perth vs Newcastle
In a survey by Numbeo, Perth has a healthcare system index of 67.93%, which is lower than Newcastle’s 85.12%.
However, please take note that these indices were based on Numbeo’s visitor input.
For further details on the said survey, here’s a table showing the aspects that were used to evaluate the healthcare systems of Perth and Newcastle.
The data presented here was gathered in October 2023.
| Perth | Newcastle | |
| Skill and competency of medical staff | 74.68% | 85.71% |
| Speed in completing examinations and reports | 68.39% | 83.93% |
| Equipment for modern diagnosis and treatment | 81.58% | 96.43% |
| Accuracy and completeness in filling out reports | 70.75% | 89.29% |
| Friendliness and courtesy of the staff | 71.81% | 85.71% |
| Responsiveness (waitings) in medical institutions | 52.60% | 66.07% |
| Satisfaction with cost | 58.06% | 87.50% |
| Convenience of location | 75.48% | 83.93% |
Now that you have a rough idea of how efficient the healthcare systems are in Perth and Newcastle, it’s time we discuss the initiatives these two cities have launched to improve their healthcare systems.
In New South Wales (where Newcastle is located), there are initiatives that are designed to provide proactive care to the state’s residents.
One example of this is Planned Care for Better Health, which identifies patients at risk of hospitalisation early and improves the care provided to these people. It’s hoped that this program can keep these patients healthier in the long run.
New South Wales also has the Paediatric Network, which is a program that aims to train the state’s health staff to be more proficient in the use of telehealth so they may be able to service children with complex needs from the comfort of their homes.
Meanwhile, Perth has the Health Promotion program, which was launched with the goal of raising the city’s residents’ awareness of chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
Western Australia (including Perth) has also increased its healthcare budget by $1.9 billion to support the state’s rapidly growing population.
The new budget will be used to supply new hospital beds to many public hospitals across the state as well as for hiring new doctors and nurses.
Transportation Options in Perth vs Newcastle
Even though both cities have robust public transportation networks, there’s still a huge difference in their average commute times.
A survey on Numbeo reveals that residents of Perth have longer commutes than those in Newcastle.
Those living in Perth on average have to spend 47.08 minutes on their daily commute, which is almost 19 minutes longer than the 28.56 minutes for those living in Newcastle.
In Perth, there are three forms of public transportation you can use, which are buses, trains, and ferries. Newcastle also has buses and ferries, but instead of trains, the city uses light rail.
Sadly, most residents in Newcastle still prefer to drive their cars to work. According to Informed Decisions, only 1.7% of the city’s population rides public transportation for their daily commute.
This pales in comparison to Perth, where almost a quarter of the city’s population relies on public transportation to go to their workplaces.
Both cities offer their own smartcard ticketing systems to further encourage public transportation use among their residents. Perth has the SmartRider card, while Newcastle has the Opal card.
These two cards can be used on all public transportation options available in their respective cities. However, a key difference between these two are the discounts they offer to their users.
Perth’s SmartRider Standard card has a 10% discount on all cash fares. Its Newcastle equivalent, the Adult Opal card, can provide you with up to a 30% discount when you travel outside of peak times!
Before we move on, let’s also discuss how the residents of Perth and Newcastle travel to places outside of their cities.
For those in Newcastle, that’s easy. The city has an airport and a railway line that connect it to other major cities like Sydney.
Meanwhile, Perth’s isolated geography makes it difficult for its residents to travel to other cities via train or car. This leaves Perthites with no other option but aeroplanes if they want to quickly travel to places outside their city.
Perth vs Newcastle: How They Stack Up
Let’s do a quick summary of everything we discussed.
| Factors | The Better City | Why |
| Cost of Living | Newcastle | The cost of living in Newcastle is 24% cheaper than in Perth. |
| Real Estate | Perth | The real estate prices in Perth are significantly lower than Newcastle. |
| 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 | Newcastle | Newcastle has a lower unemployment rate, and its residents enjoy a higher monthly average net salary compared to those in Perth. |
| Crime Index | Newcastle | Newcastle has fewer crimes recorded and a lower crime rate than Perth. |
| Lifestyle | Tie | Perth has a calmer climate than Newcastle. Residents of these two cities believe Newcastle has a more efficient healthcare system than Perth. Residents of Newcastle experience shorter commute times and have access to bigger fare discounts than those in Perth. |
