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: $1,824 in Alice Springs versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,629 in Alice Springs versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,433 in Alice Springs versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Alice Springs costs roughly 24% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alice Springs 36% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.83 A$17.87

$19.75 A$27.52

-35.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$78.7 A$110

-0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 A$13.39

$9.70 A$13.52

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.76 A$5.23

$3.66 A$5.11

2.73%

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

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.60 A$3.63

-3.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.60

$2.34 A$3.26

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 A$8.45

$7.17 A$10.00

-15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.27 A$12.92

$6.99 A$9.73

32.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 A$1.93

$1.45 A$2.02

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 A$3.00

$2.66 A$3.71

-18.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.73

$2.34 A$3.26

-16.24%

Eggs

$4.71 A$6.56

$4.80 A$6.69

-1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 A$11.92

$8.77 A$12.21

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 A$17.37

$9.44 A$13.15

31.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 A$18.70

$14.42 A$20.09

-6.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.33 A$4.64

4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$4.12 A$5.75

$2.77 A$3.87

48.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 A$5.58

$3.00 A$4.18

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.27 A$10.14

$3.95 A$5.50

84.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.55

$2.68 A$3.73

22.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.33

$2.36 A$3.28

1.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.93

$2.14 A$2.98

-1.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.35

$1.63 A$2.27

3.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.29 A$24.10

$32.44 A$45.21

-46.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 A$22.20

$14.11 A$19.66

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 A$4.36

$4.64 A$6.47

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 A$7.47

$5.04 A$7.02

6.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 A$2.25

$3.49 A$4.87

-53.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$90.4

$120 A$167

-45.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 A$4.72

$3.50 A$4.88

-3.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.35 A$1.87

-8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.57 A$49.56

$26.94 A$37.55

32.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.82

$1.19 A$1.66

10.08%

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

$29.9K A$41.7K

$29.4K A$41.0K

1.72%

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

$20.9K A$29.2K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-11.24%

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

$196 A$272

$150 A$209

30.38%

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

$27.29 A$38.02

$21.16 A$29.49

28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 A$91.3

$50.3 A$70.1

30.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 A$90.8

$49.14 A$68.5

32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.28 A$22.68

$16.37 A$22.82

-0.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 A$18.40

$16.43 A$22.90

-19.60%

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

$1,354 A$1,887

$1,764 A$2,458

-23.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,798 A$3,899

$19.2K A$26.7K

-85.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 A$101

$68.3 A$95.2

6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.23 A$15.65

$53.3 A$74.3

-78.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 A$195

$106 A$148

31.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$148

$105 A$146

1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 A$862

$1,572 A$2,191

-60.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 A$799

$1,195 A$1,665

-52.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 A$2,063

$3,048 A$4,247

-51.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 A$879

$1,990 A$2,772

-68.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,661 A$6,495

$7,387 A$10.3K

-36.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,928 A$6,867

$6,527 A$9,095

-24.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,508 A$6,282

$4,512 A$6,288

-0.09%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Alice Springs and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 0% 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 $79.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $354, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

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 32% 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, Melbourne earns 0% less. 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: $619 in Alice Springs versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 9% 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 $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,824 in Alice Springs versus $2,416 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 32% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.