Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballarat and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballarat and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,663 in Ballarat versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,699 in Ballarat versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,734 in Ballarat versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Ballarat costs roughly 31% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ballarat 24% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 A$19.20

$19.75 A$27.52

-30.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 A$91.9

$78.7 A$110

-16.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 A$13.38

$9.70 A$13.52

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.66 A$5.11

-4.92%

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

$2.61 A$3.64

$2.60 A$3.63

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 A$2.91

$2.34 A$3.26

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 A$8.57

$7.17 A$10.00

-14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 A$9.47

$6.99 A$9.73

-2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.01

$1.45 A$2.02

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 A$3.47

$2.66 A$3.71

-6.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 A$2.19

$2.34 A$3.26

-32.91%

Eggs

$4.03 A$5.62

$4.80 A$6.69

-16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 A$12.68

$8.77 A$12.21

3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.04 A$12.60

$9.44 A$13.15

-4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 A$20.44

$14.42 A$20.09

1.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.33 A$4.64

-3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.91

$2.77 A$3.87

1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 A$3.96

$3.00 A$4.18

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 A$5.40

$3.95 A$5.50

-2.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 A$3.74

$2.68 A$3.73

0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.15

$2.36 A$3.28

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 A$1.40

$1.63 A$2.27

-38.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.17 A$43.43

$32.44 A$45.21

-3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$19.61

$14.11 A$19.66

-0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 A$3.00

$4.64 A$6.47

-53.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 A$4.20

$5.04 A$7.02

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 A$2.31

$3.49 A$4.87

-52.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 A$91.0

$120 A$167

-45.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 A$3.28

$3.50 A$4.88

-32.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 A$1.69

$1.35 A$1.87

-10.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 A$34.88

$26.94 A$37.55

-7.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 A$1.55

$1.19 A$1.66

-6.72%

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

$27.6K A$38.5K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-6.09%

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

$22.8K A$31.8K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-3.22%

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

$153 A$213

$150 A$209

2.03%

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

$21.26 A$29.63

$21.16 A$29.49

0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 A$70.3

$50.3 A$70.1

0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.00 A$44.59

$49.14 A$68.5

-34.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.80 A$22.02

$16.37 A$22.82

-3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 A$15.13

$16.43 A$22.90

-33.90%

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

$329 A$458

$1,764 A$2,458

-81.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.1K

$19.2K A$26.7K

1.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 A$90.7

$68.3 A$95.2

-4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 A$73.8

$53.3 A$74.3

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 A$122

$106 A$148

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 A$131

$105 A$146

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 A$1,199

$1,572 A$2,191

-45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 A$888

$1,195 A$1,665

-46.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 A$2,808

$3,048 A$4,247

-33.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 A$1,881

$1,990 A$2,772

-32.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,884 A$6,806

$7,387 A$10.3K

-33.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,585 A$4,995

$6,527 A$9,095

-45.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,249 A$4,527

$4,512 A$6,288

-28.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

6.19

-1.94%

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

Last update for Ballarat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $861 in Ballarat and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 39% 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: $66.0 in Ballarat vs $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $354 per month, with Ballarat 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

Ballarat vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballarat wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ballarat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Melbourne earns 39% 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: $861 in Ballarat versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $329 in Ballarat versus $1,764 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,663 in Ballarat versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ballarat but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Ballarat 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, Ballarat 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 Ballarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.