Budget · Perth · Australia
Perth on a budget
What a trip to Perth really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: File:OIC south perth zoo entrance.jpg : User:Orderinchaos derivative work: Georgfotoart, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Perth is expensive for most international visitors. Budget roughly $65–$100 per person per day on a tight budget, $150–$270 mid-range and $400–$1,000 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in May–August.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $65–$100 a day
- Mid-range
- $150–$270 a day
- Luxury
- $400–$1,000 a day
- Local currency
- AUD
- Free sights
- 9
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $65–$100 | $195–$300 | $325–$500 | $455–$700 |
| Mid-range | $150–$270 | $450–$810 | $750–$1,350 | $1,050–$1,890 |
| Luxury | $400–$1,000 | $1,200–$3,000 | $2,000–$5,000 | $2,800–$7,000 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Perth, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Flat white | about A$5–A$6 |
| Fish and chips at Fremantle | about A$18–A$28 |
| Pint of local beer | about A$12–A$15 |
| Pub meal | about A$25–A$35 |
| Mid-range dinner, two courses | about A$55–A$85 per person |
| Bike hire on Rottnest Island per day | about A$30–A$50 |
Money-saving tips
- Use the free CAT buses and the Free Transit Zone in the CBD and Fremantle.
- Kings Park, the beaches, the WA Museum and the Art Gallery are free.
- Visit Rottnest on a weekday and pack a picnic; island food is pricey.
- Accommodation rates are usually lowest from May to August outside school holidays.
- Ferry-and-bike packages to Rottnest Island usually cost less than buying the ferry and bike hire separately.
Free things to do
- Kings Park and Botanic Garden — About 400 hectares of bushland, lawns and botanic garden on Mount Eliza overlook the CBD and the Swan River.
- Cottesloe Beach — Perth's signature beach has clear, usually calm water in the summer mornings, snorkelling around the reef near Peter's Pool and the groyne, Norfolk Island pines on grassy terraces and the white Indiana pavilion.
- Elizabeth Quay and the Bell Tower — The riverfront precinct opened in 2016 links the CBD to the Swan River with a footbridge, waterfront restaurants, the Spanda sculpture and the copper-and-glass Bell Tower, which houses the Swan Bells, including twelve historic bells from London's St Martin-in-the-Fields.
- WA Museum Boola Bardip — Western Australia's state museum reopened in 2020 in a building that joins heritage structures with a dramatic modern wing.
- Art Gallery of Western Australia — The state gallery in the Perth Cultural Centre holds Australian, Aboriginal and international art, with a strong focus on Western Australian artists.
- Fremantle Markets — A Victorian market hall opened in 1897 on the corner of South Terrace and Henderson Street, with around 150 stalls of produce, crafts, food and buskers on Friday to Sunday and public holidays.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Northbridge
Bars, small restaurants and the Perth Cultural Centre just north of the railway
$$ · Best for beach, families and budget
Scarborough
Surf beach with a redeveloped foreshore, pool and high-rise hotels
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and budget
Leederville
Oxford Street strip of independent cinemas, bars and cheap eats
Eating well for less
- Fish and chips at Fremantle — Fish-and-chip shops on the Fishing Boat Harbour boardwalk in Fremantle.
Getting around for less
SmartRider
Transperth's reloadable smartcard for trains, buses and ferries, with discounted fares compared with cash tickets.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Perth cost?
About $750–$1,350 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $325–$500 on a tight budget.
+Is Perth expensive?
It is expensive for international visitors. Use the free CAT buses and the Free Transit Zone in the CBD and Fremantle.
+How much money do I need per day in Perth?
Roughly $65–$100 on a budget and $150–$270 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Perth?
Usually in May–August.