Australia
Hobart makes sense if
- You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
- A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
- You want the deeper culture and food scene.
Hobart vs Perth
Hobart is a compact harbour city with wild country right at the edge of town and fewer local jobs. Perth is sun-drenched, spread out and organized around beaches, backyards and driving. One offers close access to nature; the other a broader urban base with more car time.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Perth makes sense if
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Perth69
Leads on work & family and moving & settling in; stands out for professional network and flight connections.
- 2Hobart68
Leads on money and nature & outdoors; stands out for mountains and hiking.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Hobart64Perth60
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
A$194/moA$3,524/mo
- A$1,719/mo, leads
- A$2,769/mo
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~34%, leads
- ~46%
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 99
- 99
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 24–47%
- 24–47%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 188 days
- 267 days, leads
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 3 days, leads
- 41 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 4.9 µg/m³
- 6.1 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Hobart78Perth68
Beach & sea
110
- 6/10
- 9/10, leads
Mountains
110
- 9/10, leads
- 4/10
City parks
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Weekend escapes
110
- 10/10, leads
- 8/10
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Hobart76Perth73
Walkability
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
Public transport
110
- 4/10
- 7/10, leads
Restaurants
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Public spaces
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Perth79Hobart77
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 0.9
- 0.9
Feels safe day to day
110
- 9/10
- 9/10
Healthcare quality
110
- 7/10
- 9/10, leads
English-speaking care
110
- 10/10
- 10/10
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Perth68Hobart61
Job market
110
- 5/10
- 7/10, leads
Jobs in English
110
- 10/10
- 10/10
Work–life balance
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Schools
110
- 7/10
- 8/10, leads
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Perth64Hobart54
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 1/10
- 1/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Flight connections
110
- 4/10
- 7/10, leads
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 9/10
- 8/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 9/10
- 9/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 6/10
- 8/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 9/10
- 8/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Hobart
That keeps neighbourhoods roomy and suburban life calm, but it also means limited mixed-use urbanism, modest walkability, and strong reliance on cars. The centre has workable walking pockets, while the wider city feels more like a large town.
Perth
Perth sprawls. Density is very low, the city leans hard on cars, and walkability is limited outside a few pockets, so getting around without driving is a genuine constraint.
Safety
Hobart
Violent crime is rare, the streets feel calm after dark, and residents report a strong everyday sense of security. Traffic is light and the small scale keeps things orderly.
Perth
Perth is very safe. Violent crime is rare, the homicide rate is among the lowest anywhere, and both perceived and night-time safety rate highly.
Work and healthcare
Hobart
The weakest part of the picture by a wide margin. Care is solid and entirely English-speaking, with competent hospitals and reasonable emergency cover.
Perth
Perth offers comparatively strong local pay and low unemployment. Care here is high quality and dependable, on par with the other Australian capitals.
Culture and public life
Hobart
Restaurants and produce are well regarded, even if the range is narrower than the mainland capitals. Hobart is clean and compact, its historic Salamanca waterfront genuinely walkable and well-kept.
Perth
Perth's cafe culture is genuinely good, but the wider cultural offering is modest for a city its size. Perth is clean and prosperous, the Swan riverfront, Elizabeth Quay and Kings Park all well-tended.
Summary
Hobart fits someone who wants a slower, compact home beside mountain and harbour landscapes, and can accept fewer work options. Perth suits a sunnier beach-and-backyard routine, provided you are comfortable with driving and geographic isolation.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.