Cost of Living Comparison Between Alice Springs and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Alice Springs and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,810 in Alice Springs versus $2,420 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Alice Springs versus $3,592 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,399 in Alice Springs versus $4,765 in Melbourne.

Living in Alice Springs costs roughly 25% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alice Springs 35% above, Melbourne 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 A$18.59

$19.36 A$27.71

-32.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$112

$77.5 A$111

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 A$14.22

$9.85 A$14.10

0.81%

Cappuccino

$3.71 A$5.31

$3.73 A$5.33

-0.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 A$3.72

$2.62 A$3.75

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 A$3.55

$2.28 A$3.27

8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 A$8.74

$7.36 A$10.53

-17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 A$12.72

$6.94 A$9.93

28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.06

$1.50 A$2.14

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 A$3.17

$2.58 A$3.69

-14.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 A$2.66

$2.34 A$3.35

-20.51%

Eggs

$4.76 A$6.82

$4.85 A$6.95

-1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 A$12.27

$8.72 A$12.49

-1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.80 A$18.33

$9.26 A$13.26

38.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 A$19.84

$14.58 A$20.88

-4.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 A$5.20

$3.32 A$4.75

9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$4.32 A$6.19

$2.81 A$4.03

53.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 A$5.98

$3.00 A$4.30

39.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.02 A$10.05

$3.98 A$5.70

76.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.52

$2.67 A$3.82

18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.50

$2.23 A$3.20

9.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.03

$2.19 A$3.14

-3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.33

$1.64 A$2.35

-0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.70 A$25.35

$31.95 A$45.74

-44.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 A$22.03

$13.92 A$19.93

10.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 A$4.55

$4.67 A$6.69

-31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 A$7.73

$5.04 A$7.21

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 A$2.28

$3.50 A$5.01

-54.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 A$92.2

$121 A$173

-46.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$5.00

$3.56 A$5.10

-1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 A$1.83

$1.40 A$2.01

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.78 A$49.80

$27.50 A$39.37

26.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.88

$1.15 A$1.64

13.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.1K A$43.2K

$29.2K A$41.8K

3.32%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.0K A$30.0K

$23.0K A$32.9K

-8.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$194 A$278

$154 A$220

26.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.95 A$38.58

$20.93 A$29.97

28.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 A$95.4

$51.4 A$73.7

29.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 A$94.7

$48.89 A$70.0

35.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.42 A$23.50

$16.24 A$23.25

1.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 A$19.00

$15.97 A$22.87

-16.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,318 A$1,886

$1,765 A$2,527

-25.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,699 A$3,864

$19.5K A$27.9K

-86.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 A$103

$67.0 A$96.0

7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.24 A$16.10

$54.5 A$78.0

-79.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 A$198

$106 A$151

30.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$154

$104 A$148

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 A$875

$1,575 A$2,255

-61.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 A$806

$1,206 A$1,726

-53.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 A$2,066

$3,041 A$4,354

-52.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 A$908

$2,022 A$2,895

-68.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,521 A$6,473

$7,077 A$10.1K

-36.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,599 A$6,584

$6,420 A$9,192

-28.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,376 A$6,265

$4,398 A$6,297

-0.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.19

2.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alice Springs: July 13, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $611 in Alice Springs and $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Alice Springs vs $77.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $353 per month, with Melbourne cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alice Springs vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alice Springs wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alice Springs the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Melbourne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $611 in Alice Springs versus $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Alice Springs – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,810 in Alice Springs versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alice Springs but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Alice Springs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Alice Springs and Melbourne are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alice Springs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.