Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Auckland: $2,433 a month against $2,852 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Auckland
Learn more

Auckland Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
Learn more

Melbourne Living Index

Jump to prices

Auckland

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,433

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,852

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auckland 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 Auckland and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Auckland versus $2,852 in Melbourne.

Auckland $2,433
Melbourne $2,852

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,354 in Auckland versus $4,297 in Melbourne.

Auckland $3,354
Melbourne $4,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in Auckland versus $5,742 in Melbourne.

Auckland $4,274
Melbourne $5,742

Living in Auckland costs roughly 15% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auckland 82% above, Melbourne 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.84 NZ$24.68

$17.75 A$25.49

-22.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 NZ$121

$84.8 A$122

-20.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 NZ$16.31

$12.16 A$17.46

-24.84%

Cappuccino

$3.36 NZ$5.99

$3.93 A$5.64

-14.50%

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

$1.93 NZ$3.45

$3.14 A$4.51

-38.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 NZ$3.09

$2.43 A$3.49

-28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 NZ$12.16

$9.90 A$14.22

-31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 NZ$11.66

$8.29 A$11.91

-21.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.48

$1.55 A$2.22

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 NZ$3.88

$3.01 A$4.32

-27.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.40

$2.88 A$4.14

-34.03%

Eggs

$6.20 NZ$11.05

$5.44 A$7.82

13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 NZ$15.13

$10.59 A$15.22

-19.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 NZ$17.76

$9.61 A$13.81

3.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 NZ$30.27

$14.99 A$21.54

13.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 NZ$4.99

$4.15 A$5.96

-32.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.69

$3.05 A$4.38

-32.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 NZ$5.11

$3.30 A$4.74

-13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 NZ$10.16

$4.76 A$6.83

19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.80

$3.04 A$4.36

-29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 NZ$2.82

$2.55 A$3.66

-38.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.53

$2.48 A$3.56

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NZ$1.86

$1.63 A$2.34

-36.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$27.14 NZ$48.41

$44.07 A$63.3

-38.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 NZ$18.35

$12.43 A$17.85

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 NZ$5.09

$5.33 A$7.65

-46.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 NZ$5.96

$5.16 A$7.41

-35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 NZ$4.55

$3.84 A$5.52

-33.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 NZ$220

$142 A$203

-12.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 NZ$4.06

$4.40 A$6.32

-48.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 NZ$3.55

$1.40 A$2.01

42.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.10 NZ$57.3

$29.83 A$42.84

7.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.33

$1.46 A$2.09

28.08%

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

$25.0K NZ$44.5K

$28.1K A$40.4K

-11.31%

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

$22.4K NZ$40.0K

$25.9K A$37.3K

-13.51%

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

$179 NZ$319

$233 A$334

-23.05%

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

$26.11 NZ$46.56

$27.28 A$39.19

-4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 NZ$90.0

$57.0 A$81.9

-11.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 NZ$79.8

$52.7 A$75.7

-15.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.91 NZ$31.95

$22.62 A$32.49

-20.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 NZ$22.85

$17.10 A$24.57

-25.09%

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

$1,110 NZ$1,979

$2,373 A$3,409

-53.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K NZ$34.7K

$30.5K A$43.8K

-36.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 NZ$143

$78.2 A$112

2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 NZ$70.7

$50.5 A$72.5

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 NZ$168

$121 A$173

-22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NZ$199

$133 A$191

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,367

$1,713 A$2,460

-22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 NZ$2,168

$1,402 A$2,014

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 NZ$3,838

$3,339 A$4,796

-35.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 NZ$2,946

$2,529 A$3,632

-34.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,205 NZ$12.9K

$7,018 A$10.1K

2.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,497 NZ$9,804

$6,767 A$9,721

-18.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,905 NZ$5,181

$4,228 A$6,074

-31.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

5.9

-8.98%

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

Last update for Auckland: October 6, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Auckland

$1.2K 50.4%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 15.3% $186

Groceries & Markets

Auckland

$338 14%

Melbourne

$385 13.5% 14.1% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auckland

$256 10.6%

Melbourne

$317 11.1% 24% $61

Eating Out

Auckland

$240 10%

Melbourne

$314 11% 30.7% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Auckland

$146 6.1%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 17.5% $26

Getting Around

Auckland

$146 6.1%

Melbourne

$168 5.9% 15.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Auckland

$70 2.9%

Melbourne

$87 3.1% 23.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Auckland and $1,713 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 46% 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: $68.0 in Auckland vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $385 per month, with Auckland cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Auckland

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

14:56 2:56 PM

12:56 12:56 PM

2 h behind Auckland

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,463,000

5,031,195

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.5 EUR

1 AUD = 0.696 USD

1 AUD = 0.621 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Auckland Melbourne 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Auckland
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

Auckland vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Auckland wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Auckland the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 46% 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: $1,327 in Auckland versus $1,713 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,110 in Auckland versus $2,373 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,433 in Auckland versus $2,852 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Auckland but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Auckland the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Auckland delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,433 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Auckland hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland 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 Auckland gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.