Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashkelon and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashkelon: $2,394 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Melbourne outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

117

Cost of Living Index in Ashkelon
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Ashkelon Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Ashkelon

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,394

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ashkelon and in Melbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ashkelon and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,394 in Ashkelon versus $2,821 in Melbourne.

Ashkelon $2,394
Melbourne $2,821

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,551 in Ashkelon versus $4,235 in Melbourne.

Ashkelon $3,551
Melbourne $4,235

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,708 in Ashkelon versus $5,650 in Melbourne.

Ashkelon $4,708
Melbourne $5,650

Living in Ashkelon costs roughly 15% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashkelon 77% above, Melbourne 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 ₪71.8

$17.43 A$25.08

32.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 ₪252

$84.6 A$122

-4.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.60 ₪54.8

$12.46 A$17.92

41.25%

Cappuccino

$4.58 ₪14.25

$4.11 A$5.91

11.44%

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

$3.26 ₪10.15

$3.06 A$4.40

6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₪8.71

$2.52 A$3.62

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 ₪37.63

$9.80 A$14.10

23.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 ₪23.93

$8.57 A$12.33

-10.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₪7.32

$1.48 A$2.14

58.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 ₪8.34

$2.94 A$4.23

-8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 ₪9.35

$2.66 A$3.82

13.16%

Eggs

$4.57 ₪14.21

$5.54 A$7.97

-17.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.56 ₪67.1

$10.51 A$15.13

105.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.94 ₪40.26

$9.65 A$13.89

34.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.38 ₪79.0

$15.22 A$21.91

66.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 ₪12.86

$3.99 A$5.75

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 ₪9.91

$3.02 A$4.34

5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ₪7.05

$3.10 A$4.46

-26.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 ₪10.03

$4.82 A$6.93

-33.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ₪4.99

$3.03 A$4.36

-47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₪6.20

$2.44 A$3.52

-18.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 ₪8.27

$2.46 A$3.54

8.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₪2.93

$1.63 A$2.34

-42.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 ₪42.84

$44.07 A$63.4

-68.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 ₪36.23

$12.70 A$18.28

-8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₪8.02

$5.54 A$7.97

-53.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₪6.12

$5.23 A$7.52

-62.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 ₪7.88

$3.74 A$5.38

-32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 ₪138

$138 A$198

-67.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.17 ₪34.76

$4.51 A$6.50

147.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 ₪5.20

$1.36 A$1.96

22.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.23 ₪122

$30.45 A$43.81

28.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.64 ₪8.20

$1.47 A$2.12

79.59%

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

$57.8K ₪179.8K

$29.0K A$41.7K

99.23%

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

$56.8K ₪176.7K

$26.5K A$38.1K

114.58%

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

$214 ₪667

$234 A$336

-8.31%

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

$11.73 ₪36.49

$27.93 A$40.19

-58.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 ₪129

$55.7 A$80.2

-25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.93 ₪143

$49.40 A$71.1

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.25 ₪100

$21.48 A$30.91

50.14%

Cinema Ticket

$16.56 ₪51.5

$15.09 A$21.72

9.74%

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

$1,220 ₪3,797

$2,371 A$3,412

-48.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ₪334

$80.0 A$115

34.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ₪235

$50.7 A$73.0

49.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₪352

$121 A$174

-6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 ₪453

$130 A$188

11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₪3,560

$1,759 A$2,531

-34.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₪2,989

$1,390 A$2,000

-30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 ₪5,595

$3,494 A$5,027

-48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 ₪4,575

$2,493 A$3,588

-41.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,741 ₪17.9K

$6,926 A$9,967

-17.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,602 ₪17.4K

$6,445 A$9,274

-13.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,977 ₪9,263

$4,383 A$6,307

-32.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

5.9

-15.59%

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

Last update for Ashkelon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ashkelon

$961 40.1%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 44.6% $429

Groceries & Markets

Ashkelon

$422 17.6%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 9% $38

Eating Out

Ashkelon

$392 16.4%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 19.9% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ashkelon

$267 11.2%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 18.7% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Ashkelon

$199 8.3%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 13.5% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Ashkelon

$79 3.3%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 0.7% $0.5

Getting Around

Ashkelon

$74 3.1%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 121% $90

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ashkelon and $1,759 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 47% 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: $81.0 in Ashkelon vs $85.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $422 vs $384, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇱 Ashkelon

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

05:39 5:39 AM

13:39 1:39 PM

8 h ahead of Ashkelon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,439

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 ILS = 0.321 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to ILS – Israeli New Shekel Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇱 Israeli New Shekel (₪)

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to ILS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ashkelon Melbourne 13,760 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Ashkelon
Melbourne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ashkelon vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashkelon wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ashkelon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% 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: $1,144 in Ashkelon versus $1,759 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashkelon – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,394 per month in Ashkelon versus $2,821 in Melbourne – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,394 in Ashkelon versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ashkelon but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Ashkelon 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, Ashkelon 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 Ashkelon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.