Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballina and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballina and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Ballina vs $2,416 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,329 per month in Ballina vs $3,579 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,389 per month in Ballina vs $4,742 in Melbourne, rent included.

Ballina is about 6% cheaper than Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ballina and Melbourne sit above the global median – Ballina by 69%, Melbourne by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.55 A$23.07

$19.75 A$27.52

-16.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$108

$78.7 A$110

-1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 A$13.43

$9.70 A$13.52

-0.62%

Cappuccino

$3.47 A$4.83

$3.66 A$5.11

-5.19%

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

$2.54 A$3.54

$2.60 A$3.63

-2.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 A$2.94

$2.34 A$3.26

-9.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.28

$7.17 A$10.00

-7.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 A$9.78

$6.99 A$9.73

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 A$3.34

$1.45 A$2.02

65.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 A$4.25

$2.66 A$3.71

14.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.79

$2.34 A$3.26

-14.10%

Eggs

$5.35 A$7.45

$4.80 A$6.69

11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 A$8.09

$8.77 A$12.21

-33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 A$11.89

$9.44 A$13.15

-9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 A$18.82

$14.42 A$20.09

-6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 A$4.62

$3.33 A$4.64

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 A$3.90

$2.77 A$3.87

1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.20

$3.00 A$4.18

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.40

$3.95 A$5.50

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.50

$2.68 A$3.73

-6.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.95

$2.36 A$3.28

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 A$4.43

$2.14 A$2.98

48.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.63 A$2.27

-7.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.37 A$43.71

$32.44 A$45.21

-3.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$19.63

$14.11 A$19.66

-0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.20

$4.64 A$6.47

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.26

$5.04 A$7.02

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 A$3.60

$3.49 A$4.87

-26.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 A$89.9

$120 A$167

-46.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$4.92

$3.50 A$4.88

0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.25

$1.35 A$1.87

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.66 A$46.90

$26.94 A$37.55

24.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

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

$28.4K A$39.6K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-3.46%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-4.90%

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

$186 A$259

$150 A$209

23.89%

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

$27.18 A$37.88

$21.16 A$29.49

28.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.5

$50.3 A$70.1

3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.13 A$68.5

$49.14 A$68.5

-0.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 A$21.60

$16.37 A$22.82

-5.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 A$18.07

$16.43 A$22.90

-21.06%

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

$1,655 A$2,306

$1,764 A$2,458

-6.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.5K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-38.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$96.6

$68.3 A$95.2

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 A$71.0

$53.3 A$74.3

-4.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 A$136

$106 A$148

-8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$105 A$146

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 A$1,760

$1,572 A$2,191

-19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 A$1,457

$1,195 A$1,665

-12.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 A$2,825

$3,048 A$4,247

-33.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 A$2,381

$1,990 A$2,772

-14.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,763 A$9,424

$7,387 A$10.3K

-8.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,391 A$7,512

$6,527 A$9,095

-17.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

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 Ballina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,263 in Ballina versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Ballina versus $79.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $354 – making Ballina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ballina vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,403 per month in Ballina and $3,624 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ballina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,655 per month in Ballina and $1,764 in Melbourne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ballina, where all-in costs run around $2,268, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Ballina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ballina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ballina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.