Why city living is better for your wallet… and the planet!

Given the current cost-of-living pressures, we’re all looking to save money where we can, be it cutting back the cappuccinos or swapping sirloin for rump.

But it’s the cost of owning and operating a car that’s really tearing a hole through our budgets, and for so many people living in outer suburbs giving up the car is not a choice.

According to car insurer RAC, the cheapest small vehicle to own and run in 2023 was a Toyota Corolla, but that still costs an estimated $216 a week, or $11,232 a year.

Meanwhile, the cheapest large SUV, a Subaru Outback All Wheel Drive will set you back $316 a week, or $16,432 a year.

Cutting the car cost

In Western Australia only 4.8 per cent of households don’t own a car.

But in the City of Perth local government area, the number of households ditching the car is significantly higher, and it’s on the rise.

In 2016, 18.4 per cent of households in the city didn’t own a car. That jumped to 19.5 per cent in 2021 as more and more residents made the most of the public transport options.

Fewer cars emitting fewer emissions is a win for the environment, but it’s an even bigger personal win for the weekly budget. 

Savings for city residents

City residents who choose not to own a car are already thousands of dollars ahead of their suburban counterparts.

On top of that, many of the transport options in the city are free, putting residents even further ahead.

The Free Transit Zone stretches across most of the city’s neighbourhoods, allowing a resident in East Perth to jump on a bus to their office West Perth everyday for free.

As a result, 18.2 per cent of City of Perth residents say they catch the bus to work, while 16.4 per cent of residents skip public transport altogether and just walk.

Time is money

The cost of the commute stretches beyond finances, it chews into valuable time at home with our loved ones.

While the city isn’t immune from peak hour traffic, the options to residents who live near their work allow ample ways to skip the bumper-to-bumper, be that by foot, bike or e-scooter. 

To city-dwellers, transport is a key part of the cost-of-living equation they believe they’ve cracked.