Cost of Living Comparison Between Balga and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Balga and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,653 in Balga versus $2,910 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,898 in Balga versus $4,408 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,142 in Balga versus $5,905 in Melbourne.

Living in Balga costs roughly 9% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Balga 92% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.74 A$30.31

$18.41 A$25.66

18.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$86.5 A$121

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 A$14.87

$12.46 A$17.38

-14.37%

Cappuccino

$4.55 A$6.34

$4.17 A$5.81

9.11%

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

$2.90 A$4.04

$3.15 A$4.40

-7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 A$3.30

$2.65 A$3.70

-10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.75 A$12.19

$10.05 A$14.01

-12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.40 A$11.72

$8.51 A$11.86

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.45

$1.61 A$2.25

9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 A$4.47

$3.29 A$4.58

-2.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 A$2.86

$3.02 A$4.21

-32.12%

Eggs

$5.31 A$7.41

$6.00 A$8.36

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 A$12.57

$11.06 A$15.42

-18.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 A$13.24

$9.92 A$13.83

-4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 A$20.50

$15.87 A$22.12

-7.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 A$6.35

$4.41 A$6.15

3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.82

$3.45 A$4.80

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 A$7.56

$4.91 A$6.85

10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$3.14 A$4.37

-5.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 A$2.77

$2.66 A$3.71

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 A$3.20

$2.52 A$3.51

-9.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.91

$1.69 A$2.36

-18.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.33 A$60.4

$46.21 A$64.4

-6.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 A$17.68

$12.58 A$17.54

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 A$6.06

$5.41 A$7.54

-19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.01

$5.33 A$7.43

-32.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 A$4.23

$4.03 A$5.62

-24.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 A$119

$142 A$198

-40.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 A$5.30

$4.71 A$6.56

-19.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 A$2.08

$1.41 A$1.97

5.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.15 A$57.4

$31.32 A$43.67

31.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.43 A$1.99

-9.79%

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$29.5K A$41.1K

-3.01%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$27.0K A$37.6K

13.49%

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

$208 A$290

$239 A$334

-13.17%

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

$33.30 A$46.43

$28.19 A$39.30

18.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 A$88.5

$57.3 A$79.9

10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 A$79.0

$55.9 A$77.9

1.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 A$26.04

$22.72 A$31.68

-17.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.35 A$24.19

$17.89 A$24.94

-3.02%

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

$2,349 A$3,276

$2,456 A$3,424

-4.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K A$32.8K

$31.5K A$44.0K

-25.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 A$110

$82.4 A$115

-4.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 A$97.0

$52.1 A$72.6

33.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$120 A$168

3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 A$219

$137 A$191

15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 A$2,044

$1,777 A$2,477

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 A$1,773

$1,457 A$2,032

-12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 A$3,190

$3,561 A$4,965

-35.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 A$2,573

$2,568 A$3,581

-28.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,657 A$9,281

$7,269 A$10.1K

-8.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,166 A$7,202

$6,897 A$9,616

-25.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,383 A$4,716

$4,459 A$6,217

-24.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

5.84

1.37%

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

Last update for Balga: September 7, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,466 in Balga and $1,777 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 32% 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: $86.0 in Balga vs $86.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $403 per month, with Balga 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

Balga vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balga and Melbourne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,653 vs $2,910 including rent). Balga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $1,466 in Balga versus $1,777 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Balga – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $86.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,653 per month in Balga versus $2,910 in Melbourne – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Balga is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Balga 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 Balga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.