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Living in Perth

Perth is a city in Australia. In March 2026, the unemployment rate was 7.1%. Its population was 2,098,239 in August 2021. Foreign-born residents accounted for 36.1% of the population in 2021.

Higher unemployment than 92% of Australian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 72% of Australian cities that publish it.

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Perth?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in AustraliaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Perth.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$350 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,907 in August 2021.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Perth recurring monthly costs, € per month€1257Private kindergarten€135Utilities, 85 m² flat€86Transport pass€50Internet, 60 Mbps€41Fitness club€29Mobile plan, 10 GB€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly41.11 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited50.3 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly1,257 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant16.05 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB29.45 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Perth. Jul 2026. Prices in Perth9Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass86.46 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home134.9 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings845,299 dwellings31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings773,166 dwellings31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median Weekly Rent Aud350 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Work and income

Median personal income was A$859 per week in August 2021. Median household income was A$1,864 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Perth?

The unemployment rate is 7.1 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 202610

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Perth is 7.1%. Of 100 cities with data, 29 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Australia per band4 cities: 1% to under 2%41–29 cities: 2% to under 3%92–323 cities: 3% to under 4%233–429 cities: 4% to under 5%294–518 cities: 5% to under 6%185–69 cities: 6% to under 7%96–73 cities: 7% to under 8%37–8Perth 7.1%2 cities: 8% to under 9%28–91 city: 9% to under 10%19–102 cities: 13% to under 14%213–14

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Employment Full Time Count629,908 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Employment rate61.8 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median Household Income Aud Week1,864 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median Personal Income Aud Week859 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,949 EUR/month31 Dec 2021www.abs.gov.au8Official
Salary Net Avg Eur Month3,700 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/au/perth/12Community estimate · Supplemental context
Unemployment rate7.1 %country median 4.4%31 Mar 2026DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 202610Independent

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Perth. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Workforce Australia — Public employment service

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Job Search
Open official service
Open the Australia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Perth. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Language Other Than English At Home Share Percent21.04 %10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Language courses and integration in Perth

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records
Check courses in PerthHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Perth?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 7.4 µg/m³ (2019) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 7.41 µg/m³ · cdn.who.int3
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Perth average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°40°JFMAMJJASOND32°8°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Perth average monthly precipitation, mm04080120160191320358812714212483382410JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Perth average monthly sunshine, hours090180270360357309293244215179187220234297323360JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Perth annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5257.4PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in AustraliaAnnual PM2.5 in Perth is 7.4 µg/m³. Of 25 cities with data, 7 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Australia per band4 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³44–57 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³75–66 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³66–74 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³47–8Perth 7.42 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³28–92 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³29–10

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean7.41 µg/m³country median 6.131 Dec 2019cdn.who.int3Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 31.2 · Feb 31.6 · Mar 29.6 · Apr 25.9 · May 22.3 · Jun 19.5 · Jul 18.5 · Aug 19.1 · Sep 20.5 · Oct 23.4 · Nov 26.7 · Dec 29.4 °C31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — PERTH METRO, 1991-20202Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 18.1 · Feb 18.4 · Mar 16.8 · Apr 13.8 · May 10.4 · Jun 8.6 · Jul 7.9 · Aug 8.3 · Sep 9.6 · Oct 11.6 · Nov 14.3 · Dec 16.4 °C31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — PERTH METRO, 1991-20202Official
Average temperature by monthJan 24.9 · Feb 25 · Mar 23.1 · Apr 19.8 · May 16.4 · Jun 14.2 · Jul 13.3 · Aug 13.7 · Sep 14.8 · Oct 17.2 · Nov 20.2 · Dec 22.9 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PERTH AIRPORT7Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 19.1 · Feb 13.4 · Mar 19.7 · Apr 35.2 · May 87.7 · Jun 127.3 · Jul 142.3 · Aug 124.4 · Sep 82.7 · Oct 37.7 · Nov 24.2 · Dec 10.4 mm31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — PERTH METRO, 1991-20202Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 356.7 · Feb 308.5 · Mar 293.3 · Apr 243.6 · May 214.7 · Jun 179.2 · Jul 187.2 · Aug 219.7 · Sep 233.8 · Oct 297.2 · Nov 322.9 · Dec 359.9 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PERTH AIRPORT7Official · nearest-station reading

Cities of a similar size in Australia

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Australia cities
Adelaide1,368,209 residentsMelton4,817,843 residentsCanberra - Queanbeyan490,517 residentsToowoomba382,903 residentsGisborne - Macedon289,630 residentsHobart226,653 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 3,531.9 km² in 2016. Population density was 608.7 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Perth?

The published population was 2,098,239 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Perth residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport63.9%Foreign residents36.1%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area3,532 km²1 Jul 2016Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.5Official
Foreign-resident share40.6 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics1Official
Foreign residents757,036 people10 Aug 2021Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.4Official
Population density608.7 people/km²30 Jun 2021Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation.6Official
Population Female1,063,528 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Population Male1,034,714 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Population2,098,239 people10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025
Population in Perth by year, residents1,364,0761,745,9742,127,8722,509,7702001200520112015202120252,430,757residents

Population rose 68.4% between 2001 and 2025, from 1,443,089 to 2,430,757.

International community in Perth

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total2,098,239100.0%
Australia1,245,35659.4%
England168,2748.0%
Country of birth not stated95,8464.6%
Born elsewhere(d)78,4453.7%
New Zealand58,9192.8%
India58,1812.8%
South Africa38,5951.8%
Malaysia31,2091.5%
Philippines30,7371.5%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)27,2181.3%
Show 42 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Scotland23,1201.1%
Vietnam17,0920.8%
Italy16,4890.8%
Ireland16,3500.8%
Singapore15,3460.7%
Indonesia13,0050.6%
Zimbabwe10,6770.5%
Germany8,9600.4%
Myanmar8,8730.4%
United States of America8,7810.4%
Sri Lanka8,6120.4%
Thailand8,3400.4%
Pakistan7,2120.3%
Netherlands7,0000.3%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)6,2470.3%
Iran6,2130.3%
Korea, Republic of (South)6,0390.3%
Wales5,8390.3%
Afghanistan5,3830.3%
Canada5,2530.3%
Poland5,1960.2%
Mauritius4,9750.2%
Japan4,3700.2%
Brazil4,2900.2%
Croatia4,2840.2%
Nepal4,2080.2%
France3,5640.2%
Iraq3,5310.2%
Taiwan3,3930.2%
North Macedonia3,3310.2%
Bosnia and Herzegovina2,8830.1%
Bangladesh2,6770.1%
Egypt2,3780.1%
Greece2,0150.1%
Chile1,8200.1%
Papua New Guinea1,4560.1%
Cambodia1,3910.1%
Turkey1,3810.1%
Lebanon1,1450.1%
Fiji1,0660.1%
Malta7610.0%
Samoa4870.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total persons2,098,239100.0%
Australia1,245,35659.4%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)757,03636.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Citizenship

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total persons2,098,239100.0%
Australian citizen1,742,58583.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Is Perth a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker54%strong on work, weak on safety · range 45–63%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on safety · range 56–72%
Student62%strong on education, weak on safety · range 54–70%
Family60%strong on family, weak on safety · range 51–69%
Retirement56%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 45–67%
Foreign residents757,036 people10 Aug 2021Official source · Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.
Population2,098,239 people10 Aug 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia
Dwellings845,299 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Employment rate61.8 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Median gross salary (regional)1,949 EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au
Unemployment rate7.1 %31 Mar 2026Independent source · DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-09-05

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad36.08 %10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Households773,166 households31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Labour force participation rate65.2 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median age37 years10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median Monthly Mortgage Repayment Aud1,907 AUD/month10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Perth when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Perth?

The published population was 2,098,239 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia.

Is the air quality good in Perth?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 7.4 µg/m³ (2019) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int.

What is the unemployment rate in Perth?

The unemployment rate is 7.1 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026.

What is the typical salary around Perth?

The median gross salary is 1,949 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Perth?

757,036 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality..

How much is public transport in Perth?

A monthly transport pass is 86.46 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2.

Is Perth a good place to live?

Perth may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Afghanistan live in Perth?

The official country of birth distribution records 5,383 people (0.3%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Perth, Australia: rent, salary, jobs, taxes [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/perth/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_perth-australia-rent-salary-jobs-taxes_79b4a6fe0b3a,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Perth, Australia: rent, salary, jobs, taxes},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/perth/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Perth, Australia: rent, salary, jobs, taxes](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/perth/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-03
  2. BOM monthly climate statistics — PERTH METRO, 1991-2020 BOM monthly climate statistics · bom.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
  3. cdn.who.int cdn.who.int · checked 2026-08-26
  4. Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-08-10
  5. Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA. geo.abs.gov.au · checked 2016-07-01
  6. Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-06-30
  7. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PERTH AIRPORT WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  8. www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27
  9. Cost of Living in Perth. Jul 2026. Prices in Perth numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
  10. DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026 DEWR · dewr.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
Show 2 more sources
  1. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  2. Numbeo city cost-of-living page — /cities/au/perth/ Numbeo city cost-of-living page · de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.