The 'most isolated metropolis on Earth' where the next big city is 1,305 miles away

Table of Contents

The most remote city on earth evokes images of arid landscapes and parched scrub.

You might be surprised to find out that the world's most remote capital city is one you've probably heard of heaps of times before, and you might even know someone who comes from there.

.

It's a four-hour flight to Sydney, and is actually geographically closer to Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia.

despite the fact its population is almost four times smaller.

But while it's a long way from the rest of the world, Perth isn't exactly off the beaten track – far from it.

The reality is, when you're in Perth, you don't really pick up on the fact that you're in the middle of nowhere.

shopping centres to a fast and efficient public transport system.

Is Perth actually the most isolated city globally?

It's worth noting that Perth's status as the most remote city is open to debate.

For instance, Iquitos, Peru, could be a contender, given it has no roads leading in or out and is only accessible by river or air – but the city of Pucallpa is just over 500 kilometres away.

There's also Honolulu, Hawaii, which is a real distance of 3,858km from San Francisco, USA, the nearest major city. But it's close to other thriving spots on the island of Oahu, like Waikiki Beach.

Some Kiwis might reckon they're in the running, given Auckland's a fair way from Sydney, being 2,168km apart, the closest city of a similar size.

Some people reckon Perth is only a short drive away from its closest city, Fremantle, just 40 minutes by car. But most folks see Fremantle as just a suburb of Perth, rather than a standalone city.

The ARIA+ index is a measure of how remote an area is, developed by the Australian Government. It calculates remoteness based on how far you are from the nearest cities. Perth is quite easily accessible, scoring a 0 out of 15 on the index.

So, if you want to get technical, Perth might not be the most isolated city on earth. That said, there's no city of similar size anywhere in the world as remote, which is why you might hear it referred to as such.

What are the downsides of residing in Perth?

It's an astonishing 17 hours.

The job market is pretty cutthroat. With over 2.3 million people living in the Perth region, that's a huge number of people all after the same jobs – unless you're willing to consider a very long trip to work elsewhere.

You're also less likely to catch your favourite bands. Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour didn't come to Perth, and that was a bummer for Taylor Swift fans - her Era's Tour went to over 54 cities, but not to Western Australia.

Locals shared their biggest complaints about living in such a remote area.

‘There’s good food, but not as many restaurants to choose from as in the east,’ one bloke wrote. ‘Not as many artistic and cultural things to see or do either… some reckon Perth is also a bit behind the eastern cities when it comes to culture, and there’s some truth to that.’

‘There’s not a lot to do around here. Our beaches are good, but if you aren't into that lifestyle, you're a bit stuck for things to do.’

‘This can make it hard for innovative ideas to take off, since we’re stuck in our own little “bubble” here.’

What do people like about living in Perth?

There's heaps of people online who are keen to share what they love about their city, especially the relaxed atmosphere.

‘Perth's got some amazing weather,’ said a cheerful bloke. ‘We've got some of the most incredible beaches right on our doorstep – they're bloody fantastic. Because of the weather and the coastline, Perth's a pretty laid-back and relaxed sort of place to live.’

Others agreed: ‘We're seen as pretty laidback, easy-going types who love surfing and footy (Australian Football League). We just chill out more because we're so far away from everything.’

This article was first published on September 3, 2024.

G'day, got a yarn to spin?

.