What's it like to live in Perth?
Sunny, relaxed and isolated, with long beaches and a mining-driven economy.
Pros of living in Perth
- Mild winters, with average winter days around 19°C.
- A big job market and plenty to do in a city of 2.3 million.
- Main industries: Mining and resources, construction, health.
Cons of living in Perth
- High rents, around $680 a week for a house.
- Hot summers, averaging 31°C.
- Big-city traffic and longer commutes.
Cost of living in Perth
The reported house figure is about $1.12M (domain stratified median house sale price (houses only), Perth capital-city market (Domain), September quarter 2026). Source: Domain, September 2026 House Price Report ↗. A house rents for about $680 a week (indicative, not individually audited). Perth has about 2.3 million people (indicative). See every city's costs.
Different publishers, geographic boundaries and methods mean these house figures cannot be compared directly as a price index.
Weather in Perth
Average summer days reach about 31°C and winter days about 19°C, with around 730 mm of rain a year. Sydney is 2 hours ahead of Perth in winter. Sydney uses daylight saving, so the gap changes by an hour from October to April.
What Perth is known for
Long white-sand beaches, Kings Park, Rottnest Island and its quokkas, and some of the sunniest weather of any Australian capital. It is one of the most isolated big cities in the world.
Getting around Perth
Transperth runs trains, buses and ferries, and the network has expanded with Metronet. Perth has no toll roads, and freeways make driving the norm.
Day-to-day life and sport
Beach-and-backyard living with a slower pace. Mining work, including fly-in fly-out jobs, shapes the economy. Being three hours behind the east coast in winter takes some getting used to.
AFL dominates, with the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers sharing Optus Stadium (60,000 seats). Cricket and the Western Force (rugby union) also have strong followings.
Sources: Transperth · Tourism Western Australia
Jobs in Perth
The biggest industries are mining and resources, construction, health.
What locals are talking about right now
- The Perth Housing Crisis: Low Vacancies and Construction Delays Keep Rents High
- State wealth deployed to offset sharp cost-of-living spikes for Perth households
- WA uses immense resource royalties to deploy direct cost-of-living relief subsidies
- Balancing State Mining Wealth With Household Financial Strain
- The Two-Speed Economy: Resources Boom Meets Cost-of-Living Squeeze
Frequently asked questions
Is Perth a good place to live?
Sunny, relaxed and isolated, with long beaches and a mining-driven economy. The main draws are mild winters, with average winter days around 19°c; the main drawback is high rents, around $680 a week for a house.
Is it expensive to live in Perth?
A published house figure is about $1.12M (Domain stratified median house sale price (houses only), Perth capital-city market (Domain), September quarter 2026; source: https://www.domain.com.au/research/house-price-report/september-2026/). Indicative house rent is about $680 a week; check current local listings before budgeting.
What is the weather like in Perth?
Average summer days reach about 31°C and winter days about 19°C, with around 730 mm of rain a year.
What are the main jobs in Perth?
The biggest industries are mining and resources, construction, health.