Townleap

Cost of Living: Graz vs Perth (2026)

Austria vs Australia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Graz
Perth
$772/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,821/mo
$11k/yr
Take-home savings

At each city's local median pay

$31k/yr
5 yr
PR path
—
Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

—
Freelance setup
EPU
  • VAT-free under €42k
  • 27% social
  • €1400/yr accountant
WiseStripe
Sole Trader with ABN
  • VAT-free under €46k
  • €600/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRGraz is 58% cheaper on rent ($772/mo vs $1,821/mo). Perth has milder winters (48°F vs 27°F lows). Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.
Graz scores 80 to Perth's 69 on livability — the gap is real. Perth has its charms, but the numbers favor Graz.
How the livability score breaks down
Graz
Perth
21.4/25
💰 Affordability
11.3/25
14.1/15
🔒 Violent Crime
14.2/15
7.3/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
5.8/10
5.3/15
⚡ Internet
5.3/15
12.4/15
🗳️ Democracy
13.3/15
8.9/10
🗣️ English
10/10
9.9/10
☀️ Climate
8.2/10
7.1/10
📊 Stability
6.8/10
9.1/10
🚗 Road Safety
9.1/10
8.8/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
5.9/10
Household
Graz
Metric
Perth
$909/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$611/mo✓
✓$4,786
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$11,432
87 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
86 / 100
0.9 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.8 / 100k
4.6 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
4.5 / 100k
✓73 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
58 / 100
77°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
84°F
27°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
48°F
15.1 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
5.3 μg/m³✓
85 / 100
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
86 / 100
8.3 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
8.8 / 10✓
6.1 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
8.3 / 9✓
50 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
78 / 100✓
74/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
100/100✓
$74k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$72k
✓2.9% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
3.2% · Boringly steady
93/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
95/100
A median Software Engineer in Graz takes home $3,610/mo under Standard employee. In Perth: $6,333/mo under Standard employee.
$2,723/mo more in Perth
Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.
$82k
💰
Gross income
$107k
−$24k
🏛️
Income tax
Standard employee
−$27k
−$15k
🛡️
Social contributions
−$4k
$43k/yr
$4k/mo
💵
Take-home pay
$76k/yr✓
$6k/mo
−$32k
🏠
Cost of living
−$45k
$11k/yr
🐖
Annual savings
$31k/yr✓
Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Graz
$1,049/mo cheaper on rent alone
🗳️
Democracy
Perth
8.8/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
—
77°F vs 84°F summers

Sun

How much sky you actually get

40% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
78% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.6h
Shortest day
Dec
14.2h
15.8h
Longest day
Jun
10.1h

Sun clocks out early in Graz's winter. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

Democracy trend
stable →
stable →
Inflation trend
improving ↑
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
—
Easy
EU visa
—
Moderate
RU visa
—
Moderate
UA visa
—
✅ Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
—
Not recognized
eingetragene Partnerschaft
Partner pathway
—

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
14 wk
Gestational limit
24 wk

Legal within first trimester. Counseling required.

Legal in all states/territories; gestational limits vary by state (16-24 weeks on request).

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Graz vs Perth — Common Questions

Is Graz cheaper than Perth?▾

Graz is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $772/month there vs $1821/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Graz or Perth?▾

Perth is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Graz has a rate of 0.88 per 100,000 and Perth has 0.83 per 100,000.

Should I move to Graz or Perth?▾

Graz scores 80 to Perth's 69 on livability — the gap is real. Perth has its charms, but the numbers favor Graz. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Graz or Perth?▾

Graz: EU Blue Card (Austria) (complex process, Up to 4 years). Perth: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Graz or Perth?▾

Perth is warmer in summer (84°F vs 77°F). Graz has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Graz or Perth without speaking the local language?▾

Perth is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Graz (74/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Graz vs Perth?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $772/month in Graz, $1821/month in Perth (Numbeo). That's 58% cheaper rent in Graz.

Is Graz or Perth better for democracy and rule of law?▾

Perth scores 8.8/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 8.3/10 for Graz. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

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