[pvg]

Maybe not so much a question of 'better' but perl is definitely bigger and multiheaded and does many, many more things (perl scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should). So you'll spend a lot more time (compared to awk) orienting yourself, beside the learning of the thing you want to know about. That could be a fun extra hobby or a waste of time, depending on your goals and inclinations.