Best places to live in Perth is an intriguing issue attracts residents and visitors at home and abroad. Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth as of 2024. It is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, with most of Perth’s metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp. The city has expanded outward from the original British settlements on the Swan River, upon which its central business district and port of Fremantle are situated.
By virtue of its population and role as the administrative centre for business and government, Perth dominates the Western Australian economy, despite the major mining, petroleum, and agricultural export industries being located elsewhere in the state. Perth’s function as the state’s capital city, its economic base and population size have also created development opportunities for many other businesses oriented to local or more diversified markets. Perth has also become a hub of technology-focused startups since the early 2000s that provide a pool of highly skilled jobs to the Perth community. The climate of Perth allows for extensive outdoor sporting activity, and this is reflected in the wide variety of sports available to residents of the city. The Perth Cultural Centre is home to many of the city’s major arts, cultural and educational institutions, including the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
Choosing where to live in Perth is a huge decision, especially when the city is made up of hundreds of different suburbs. Perth is a lively city known for its beaches and great nightlife, but choosing the best suburb for you is dependent on the kind of lifestyle you have, your budget, and the areas you want to be close by. There are many reasons why moving to Perth is a good idea, and you can choose between having a more idyllic lifestyle by living close to the coast or having a bustling city life that won’t be too far away from your favourite pub.
This blog selects and analyzes top 10 best places to live in Perth, advantages and methodology. With this comprehensive guide, you can make the best choice of your destination.
Top 10 Best Places to Live in Perth
Top 1. Cottesloe
Population: 7,750
Cost of Living: AUD 370 – AUD 4902 per month
Rental Property: AUD 800 – 1000 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 58.32
Cottesloe is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia and regarded as one of great places to live in Australia. Cottesloe is a beach-side suburb of the city of Perth in Western Australia. It is located roughly halfway between Perth’s central business district and the port of Fremantle. It is famous for its beaches, cafes and relaxed lifestyle. Cottesloe was named for Thomas Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe, a prominent Tory politician and the brother of Admiral Sir Charles Fremantle for whom the city of Fremantle was named. Cottesloe is generally residential, with a significant shopping area located between Jarrad and Station streets adjacent to the Cottesloe railway station.
Top 2. Subiaco
Population: 9,940
Cost of Living: AUD 410 – AUD 4800 per month
Rental Property: AUD 750 – 900 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 134.91
Subiaco is an inner-western suburb of Perth, the capital of Western Australia and globally considered as best accommodation in Perth. It is approximately 3 km west of Perth’s central business district, in the City of Subiaco local government area. Historically a working-class suburb containing a mixture of industrial and commercial land uses, since the 1990s the area has been one of Australia’s most celebrated urban redevelopment projects. It remains a predominantly low-rise, urban village neighbourhood centred around Subiaco train station and Rokeby Road. The suburb has three schools: Subiaco Primary School, Perth Modern School, which is the state’s only fully academically selective public school, and Bob Hawke College. Landmarks in Subiaco include Subiaco Oval, which formerly was the largest stadium in Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, and Subiaco railway station.
Top 3. Fremantle
Population: 31,930
Cost of Living: AUD 500 – AUD 4500 per month
Rental Property: AUD 800 – 1000 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 376.93
Fremantle is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital and considered as one of good places to live in Australia. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The suburb of Fremantle is bounded by the Swan River to the north and north-west, the Indian Ocean to the west, South Street to the south, and the suburbs of East Fremantle and White Gum Valley to the east. Fremantle is renowned for its well-preserved architectural heritage, including convict-built structures and hundreds of gold rush-era buildings. Fremantle has a diverse economy, with over 2,000 registered businesses operating across a wide range of sectors. Fremantle offers a wide variety of dining experiences, with a strong emphasis on Italian and Asian cuisine as well as seafood.
Top 4. Swanbourne
Population: 4,980
Cost of Living: AUD 520 – AUD 4800 per month
Rental Property: AUD 820 – 1100 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 28.96
Swanbourne is a western coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia and regarded as one of best places to live in Perth. It is an affluent, upper middle class residential area with older Federation style homes, many being renovated. The suburb was established in the late 19th century. New housing estates have been built recently through the redevelopment of areas such as the Swanbourne Senior High School, Swanbourne Primary School and Lakeway Drive-In Cinema sites. Swanbourne is bounded by the Swanbourne Rifle Range and Cottesloe Golf Club to the north, Lake Claremont and Stirling Road to the east, the Fremantle railway line and North Street to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the west.
Top 5. Crawley
Population: 5,750
Cost of Living: AUD 610 – AUD 4700 per month
Rental Property: AUD 900 – 1200 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 60.38
Crawley is a western suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia and one of great places to live in Australia. The area is part of the local government area of the City of Perth and was previously shared between the City of Subiaco and City of Perth. It is about 5.8 kilometres from the Perth CBD via Mounts Bay Road. The Crawley Edge Boatshed is a well-recognised and frequently photographed site in Crawley. The Swan River at Crawley was utilised before the war as a flying boat landing location.
Top 6. Churchlands
Population: 3,638
Cost of Living: AUD 590 – AUD 4200 per month
Rental Property: AUD 850 – 1100 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 26.94
Churchlands is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia approximately 8 km north-west of the central business district and regarded as one of best places to live in Perth. It lies within the local government area of the City of Stirling. Churchlands is an expensive suburb with most homes built after the 1980s. This suburb became known as “Churchlands” after being purchased by the Roman Catholic Church in 1891 from the Trigg family.
Top 7. Murdoch
Population: 3,352
Cost of Living: AUD 630 – AUD 4500 per month
Rental Property: AUD 880 – 1300 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 104.71
Murdoch is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Melville and regarded as one of great places to live in Perth. Murdoch University, St John of God Hospital Murdoch and Fiona Stanley Hospital are located in Murdoch. The suburb is named after Sir Walter Murdoch. Murdoch is located next to Winthrop, Bateman, Kardinya and North Lake. Boundaries with these suburbs are delineated by Somerville Drive, Murdoch Drive, Prescott Drive and Farrington Road respectively.
Top 8. Northbridge
Population: 1,420
Cost of Living: AUD 800 – AUD 4300 per month
Rental Property: AUD 910 – 1500 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 13.86
Northbridge is an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia, historically separated from Perth’s central business district by the Fremantle and Joondalup railway lines and regarded as one of best places to live in Perth. It is part of the City of Perth local government area. Located immediately north of the CBD, Northbridge is officially bounded by William Street, Roe Street, Newcastle Street and the Mitchell Freeway. Northbridge presently is a multicultural precinct, and contains a wide array of cuisine, including Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, and contains Perth’s main nightlife district, which is centred on James Street and Lake Street.
Top 9. Bentley
Population: 3,790
Cost of Living: AUD 720 – AUD 4800 per month
Rental Property: AUD 860 – 1400 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 241.08
Bentley is a southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, 8 kilometres southeast of Perth’s central business district and and regarded as one of great places to live in Perth. Its local government areas are the City of Canning and the Town of Victoria Park. Bentley is home to the main campus of Curtin University and Technology Park. Bentley is bounded by Kent Street to the west, Manning Road and Burton/Mills Streets to the south, Jarrah Road, Holder, Coolgardie and Tate Streets to the north and the Armadale railway line to the northeast.
Top 10. Highgate
Population: 10,955
Cost of Living: AUD 900 – AUD 5000 per month
Rental Property: AUD 950 – 1700 per week
Crimes per 1000 people: 46.40
Highgate is an inner metro suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Vincent and north of the central business district of Perth and and regarded as one of best places to live in Perth. Highgate was named for the village of Highgate, Hawkhurst in Kent, England. Highgate is the smallest suburb in the Perth metropolitan region, with an area of just 400 ㎡. Among the landmarks of the area is the Lincoln Street Vent, a disused Art Deco sewerage vent, designed by Russell Dumas and completed in 1935, alongside the disused Highgate Hill Police Station.
Advantages of Best Places to Live in Perth
- A Thriving Employment Market
Perth is home to a thriving job market and some of the fastest-growing sectors in Australia. Whether you’re hoping to secure an internship, a part-time job or even a graduate role, there are several opportunities available to residents and international students.
- Living Costs That Won’t Break the Bank
Day-to-day living costs in Perth are significantly cheaper than in other Australian capital cities, particularly Sydney and Melbourne. As a result, it’s much more affordable for those living on a student budget.
- A Multicultural Demographic
Perth heralds diverse demographics, making it welcoming for international students and locals alike.
- All Year-RoundSunshine
As Australia’s sunniest capital city, Perth is bathed in sunlight for an average of nine hours per day. For roughly 70% of the year, Perth residents enjoy clear blue skies, making it the envy of residents from the rainier East Coast.
- A Growing Arts Scene
Western Australia’s vibrant arts scene is easily one of the best things about living in Perth.
Methodology of Best Places to Live in Perth
uhomes.com analyzes Cost of Living, Rental Property and Crimes per 1000 people to select top 10 best places to live in Perth. Cost of Living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living for an individual or a household. Changes in the cost of living over time can be measured in a cost-of-living index. Cost of living calculations are also used to compare the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living in different geographic areas. Differences in the cost of living between locations can be measured in terms of purchasing power parity rates. A sharp rise in the cost of living can trigger a cost of living crisis, where purchasing power is lost and, for some people, their previous lifestyle is no longer affordable. Major components of the cost of living include food, housing costs and energy. The cost of living in best places to live in Perth shows whether it is affordable to live in these places.
Rental Property is another important factor to measure whether it is a best place to live in Perth. Compared to other places in Australia such as Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, Perth has lower Property rentals and more comfortable life. Short-term rental of apartments and houses is comparatively cheaper than other places in Australia.
Crimes per 1000 people in the society reflect to what extent people feel that their freedom of movement and their property are protected. Crimes per 1000 people refer to systematic, quantitative results about crime, as opposed to crime news or anecdotes. Public surveys are occasionally conducted to estimate the amount of crime that has not been reported to police. Such surveys are usually more reliable for assessing trends. Crime Index is an estimation of the overall level of crime in a given city or country. We consider crime levels lower than 20 as very low, crime levels between 20 and 40 as low, crime levels between 40 and 60 as moderate, crime levels between 60 and 80 as high, and crime levels higher than 80 as very high.
List of Top 10 Best Places to Live in Perth
- Top 1. Cottesloe
- Top 2. Subiaco
- Top 3. Fremantle
- Top 4. Swanbourne
- Top 5. Crawley
- Top 6. Churchlands
- Top 7. Murdoch
- Top 8. Northbridge
- Top 9. Bentley
- Top 10. Highgate
Conclusion
Top 10 best places to live in Perth is analyzed comprehensively and detailedly in this blog. You can think twice about your destination and make the best choice. After you decide one of good places to live in Perth, accommodation is first and foremost thing. uhomes.com will provide you with affordable, reliable and comfortable student accommodation in Perth.
FAQ
According to SalaryExpert, the yearly average salary in Perth is 102,000 AUD, while the lowest is 25,800 AUD per year. We have already mentioned that a single person needs approximately 3,500 AUD -4,000 AUD per month or 42,000 AUD – 48,000 AUD per year to cover his regular expenses.
Worst Suburbs in Perth for Crime
Suburbs like Armadale, Balga, and Mirrabooka often come up in discussions about high crime rates. While these areas may offer more affordable housing, the safety concerns can be a significant drawback.
Kings Park is THE number one destination for tourists and locals in Perth to take that shot of the Perth city skyline. The elevated position of beautiful Kings Park gives sweeping panoramic views over Perth, the Swan River and to the Darling Ranges in the distance.
The recent suburbs flagged as crime hotspots are Midvale, Burwood, Perth CBD, Midland, Mandurah, Wellard, Fremantle, Armadale, Osborne Park, Belmont, Canningtion, Forestdale, Cannington and Balga for 2023.
