How Do I Find Cheap Car Rental in Perth or Melbourne in 2026?
How Singapore travellers find cheap car rental in Perth or Melbourne for a 2026 road trip: compare the same car and dates on Trip.com, Expedia and Klook, check licence rules, deposits and tolls, and go through ShopBack Singapore before you book so you pay less on the same rental.
To find cheap car rental in Perth or Melbourne for a 2026 road trip from Singapore, compare the same car, pick-up point and dates on Trip.com, Klook and Expedia, then go through ShopBack Singapore before you pay. At the time of writing, Trip.com lists 14 car rental companies at Perth Airport and 14 at Melbourne Airport. Your Singapore licence works for up to three months because it is in English, according to Tourism Australia, and Australia drives on the left.
New to ShopBack? ShopBack Singapore is a free app and website that gives you cash back when you book with partner stores, including Trip.com, Klook and Expedia. Go through ShopBack before you book, pay as normal, and the cash lands in your ShopBack account. Join ShopBack Singapore, it is free.
The verdict
The cheapest Perth or Melbourne rental is usually the one you compare like for like and book early, through ShopBack Singapore. Prices for the same car can differ between sites and change by the day, so no single site is always cheapest. The routine that works is the same for both cities:
- Fix your pick-up point (airport or city), dates and times.
- Search the same car size on Trip.com, Klook and Expedia.
- Compare the final price including insurance, deposit, one-way and young driver fees.
- Go through ShopBack Singapore to the site you pick, then pay with a travel card.
Car rental Perth: what you are actually comparing
For car rental in Perth, the price on screen is only part of the cost; the rental terms decide whether a deal is really cheap. According to Trip.com at the time of writing, it partners with 14 car rental companies at Perth Airport, and its supplier list includes Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz. That is a lot of offers to sort through, so compare these points for each one:
| What to check | Why it changes the real price |
|---|---|
| Pick-up location | Airport counters are convenient; city depots can price differently |
| Insurance excess | A lower daily rate can come with a high excess if something goes wrong |
| Deposit | Usually held on the main driver's card at pick-up; amount varies by company |
| Mileage | Many Trip.com listings show unlimited mileage, which matters for long road trips |
| Fuel policy | Full-to-full means you return it with a full tank |
| Driver age | Trip.com asks for the driver's age when you search because it can change the price |
| One-way drop-off | Dropping off in a different place usually costs more |
| Cancellation | Trip.com highlights free cancellation on many rentals; check each listing |
The same checks apply to car rental in Melbourne. At the time of writing, Trip.com also lists 14 car rental companies at Melbourne Airport.
Car rental Perth Singapore 2026: licence and road rules
Singapore travellers in 2026 can usually drive a rental car in Perth or Melbourne on their Singapore licence for up to three months, because it is in English. According to Tourism Australia, visitors can use a foreign licence for up to three months as long as it is in English, and need an International Driving Permit if it is not. If your licence has no photo, Tourism Australia says to carry your passport when you drive.
Road rules from Tourism Australia worth knowing before you pick up the car:
- Drive on the left. Same as Singapore, so the switch is easy.
- Speed limits. 50 km/h in urban areas unless signposted; most other roads 100 km/h, with some highways at 110 km/h.
- Alcohol. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05, and police run random breath and drug tests.
- Seatbelts. Compulsory for everyone in the car.
Rental companies can set their own conditions in addition to the law, such as minimum age or how long you have held your licence, so read the rental terms before you book.
Car rental Perth best deals Singapore 2026
The best car rental deals for Perth in 2026 usually come from booking early for school holidays, keeping to the airport you fly into, and going through ShopBack Singapore before you pay. A few habits make the biggest difference:
- Book early for busy dates. Singapore and Australian school holidays push up demand for cars and hotels.
- Pick the smallest car that fits your luggage. Small SUVs and compact cars are usually cheaper to rent and to fuel.
- Return to the same place. One-way rentals between cities usually cost more.
- Check free cancellation. If the listing allows it, you can rebook if a lower price appears for the same car.
- Use the site's own offers. Trip.com, for example, says it offers exclusive car rental prices to customers who have booked flights or hotels with it.
Rates differ by store and category, so check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page before you book.
Expedia vs Trip.com for car rental in Perth: price comparison
Neither Expedia nor Trip.com is always cheaper for car rental in Perth; the price for the same car and dates moves on both. The fair way to compare is to run the same search on each and look at the final price, not the headline daily rate.
- Use the same pick-up and drop-off point, dates and times.
- Choose the same car class and transmission.
- Compare the total including insurance excess, deposit and any fees.
- Check the cancellation terms.
Each site has its strengths. Trip.com shows a wide spread of rental companies at Perth and Melbourne airports, and says it offers help to keep or cancel your rental car if a flight booked with it is delayed or cancelled. Expedia is often used to book the hotels for the same trip. Whichever you pick, check that store's ShopBack page before you book to see whether car hire is listed as eligible.
Expedia, Trip.com and Klook for car rental in Perth from Singapore
All three have store pages on ShopBack Singapore, so you can compare them and still go through ShopBack before you book. At the time of writing:
- Trip.com on ShopBack lists Car Rentals as one of its categories.
- Klook on ShopBack also lists Car Rentals as a category, alongside attraction tickets and transport.
- Expedia on ShopBack shows a car rental rate, but its exclusions also mention cars, so check the page for what is eligible on the day you book. Expedia is a strong pick for Perth and Melbourne hotels either way.
Other travel sites Singapore travellers often use for an Australia road trip include Booking.com, Agoda and Traveloka for hotels, and Klook for attraction passes.
Where to drive: two road trips that suit a rental car
From Perth, the drive south to Margaret River is the classic road trip; from Melbourne, it is the Great Ocean Road. Distances from Wikipedia:
- Perth to Margaret River. The town is about 277 km south of Perth, in the South West wine region.
- Great Ocean Road. About 240 km between Torquay and Allansford, along the coast of Victoria.
Tourism Australia suggests hiring an automatic if you are not used to driving on the left. Singapore drivers already drive on the left, so an automatic is mostly about comfort on long coastal drives.
Melbourne tolls. Melbourne has toll roads, including CityLink, which use electronic tolling with no cash booths. Rental companies usually pass toll charges on to you, sometimes with a fee, so ask how tolls are charged when you book or pick up the car.
How ShopBack fits in before you book
When you book a trip online, pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack to the booking site, then pay with a travel card. The same goes for the rental car. Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. You still book on Trip.com, Klook or Expedia, at their price.
- Pick your dates and compare the same car on each site.
- Open ShopBack Singapore and go to that store's page.
- Check that car hire is listed as eligible on that page.
- Go through to the store and complete the booking in the same visit.
Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Once the store confirms the booking, you can withdraw it to your bank account.
Promo codes, card rewards and ShopBack: what usually combines
Card rewards and going through ShopBack can usually apply to the same rental, but promo codes often cannot, so check the merchant's terms first. At the time of writing, the Trip.com and Klook pages on ShopBack Singapore say that using any promo, coupon or discount code makes the order ineligible, and the Expedia page says the same for codes not featured on ShopBack.
- Promo code. Compare the price with the code against the price through ShopBack, and pick the lower final number.
- Card rewards. Your bank may give rewards on overseas or travel spending, depending on the card's terms.
- ShopBack. Applies to the eligible amount you pay, if you went through ShopBack and the booking meets the store's terms.
Some payment methods, booking types and optional purchases are excluded from one or more of these. Before you pay, check the merchant's terms, the store's page on ShopBack Singapore and your card's terms.
FAQ
How do I find cheap car rental in Perth or Melbourne for a road trip?
Search the same pick-up point, dates and car size on Trip.com, Klook and Expedia, compare the final price including insurance, deposit and any one-way or young driver fees, and book early for school holidays. Then go through ShopBack Singapore to the site you pick before you pay, so you get a cash rebate on the same rental.
Can I drive in Australia with a Singapore driving licence?
According to Tourism Australia, visitors can drive using a foreign licence for up to three months as long as it is in English, and need an International Driving Permit if it is not. A Singapore licence is issued in English. Rental companies can set their own rules too, so check the rental terms before you book.
Which side of the road do they drive on in Australia?
Australia drives on the left, the same as Singapore. Tourism Australia says the blood alcohol limit is 0.05, the urban speed limit is 50 km/h unless signposted, and most other roads are 100 km/h, with some highways at 110 km/h.
Is Trip.com or Expedia cheaper for car rental in Perth?
Neither is always cheaper. Prices for the same car and dates move on both, so compare the final price for your exact pick-up time on Trip.com and Expedia, and on Klook too. Go through ShopBack Singapore to the one you pick before you pay, and check that store's ShopBack page to see whether car hire is eligible.
How many car rental companies are at Perth Airport?
At the time of writing, Trip.com says it partners with 14 car rental companies at Perth Airport, and 14 at Melbourne Airport. Its supplier list includes international names such as Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz, so you can compare several companies in one search.
Where can I drive from Perth or Melbourne on a road trip?
From Perth, Margaret River is about 277 km south, according to Wikipedia. From Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road runs about 240 km between Torquay and Allansford. Both work for a three to five day road trip with a rental car.
Do I need to pay tolls when driving a rental car in Melbourne?
Melbourne has toll roads, including CityLink, which use electronic tolling. Rental companies usually pass toll charges on to you, sometimes with a fee, so ask how tolls are charged when you book or pick up the car.
How does ShopBack work for car rental bookings?
Open the Trip.com, Klook or Expedia page on ShopBack Singapore, check that car hire is listed as eligible, go through to the store and book in the same visit. Eligible bookings earn cash back to your ShopBack account at the rate shown on that store's ShopBack page, after the store confirms the booking.
Is ShopBack cashback the same as points or miles?
No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.
Can I use a promo code and ShopBack on the same car rental?
Usually not. At the time of writing, the Trip.com and Klook pages on ShopBack Singapore say any promo, coupon or discount code makes the order ineligible, and the Expedia page says the same for codes not featured on ShopBack. Compare the price with the code against the price through ShopBack, and check the merchant's terms before you pay.
Key takeaways
- Compare like for like. Same pick-up point, dates, car class and transmission on Trip.com, Klook and Expedia.
- Read the terms, not just the daily rate. Insurance excess, deposit, mileage, driver age and one-way fees decide the real price.
- Licence. A Singapore licence is in English, so Tourism Australia says it works for up to three months.
- Road trips. Margaret River is about 277 km south of Perth; the Great Ocean Road runs about 240 km.
- Before you book, go through ShopBack Singapore and check that car hire is eligible on the store's page.
Related reads
Ready to book your road trip car?
Compare Perth and Melbourne car hire on Trip.com through ShopBack, or book a car rental on Klook through ShopBack and your hotel on Expedia through ShopBack.
Disclaimer
The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Rental prices, supplier lists, insurance, deposits, fees, road rules, promo code rules, cashback rates and exclusions change over time and are set by each rental company, booking site and authority. Check the rental terms, Tourism Australia and each store's page on ShopBack Singapore before you book.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice. Brand names are used for editorial reference only and do not imply endorsement by those companies.
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