Cost of Living Comparison Between Berry and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Berry and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Berry vs $2,910 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,890 per month in Berry vs $4,408 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,084 per month in Berry vs $5,905 in Melbourne, rent included.

Berry is about 7% cheaper than Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Berry and Melbourne sit above the global median – Berry by 95%, Melbourne by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 A$27.50

$18.41 A$25.66

7.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 A$128

$86.5 A$121

6.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 A$14.92

$12.46 A$17.38

-14.13%

Cappuccino

$4.20 A$5.85

$4.17 A$5.81

0.72%

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

$3.18 A$4.43

$3.15 A$4.40

0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 A$3.97

$2.65 A$3.70

7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 A$11.73

$10.05 A$14.01

-16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.98 A$13.92

$8.51 A$11.86

17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.61 A$2.25

-0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.75

$3.29 A$4.58

3.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.70

$3.02 A$4.21

-12.25%

Eggs

$5.58 A$7.78

$6.00 A$8.36

-7.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 A$19.79

$11.06 A$15.42

28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.86 A$15.14

$9.92 A$13.83

9.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.27 A$22.68

$15.87 A$22.12

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 A$5.89

$4.41 A$6.15

-4.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.53

$3.22 A$4.49

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 A$5.18

$3.45 A$4.80

7.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.14

$4.91 A$6.85

4.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.14 A$4.37

4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.86

$2.66 A$3.71

4.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 A$3.95

$2.52 A$3.51

12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$1.69 A$2.36

-10.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.63 A$63.6

$46.21 A$64.4

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 A$20.74

$12.58 A$17.54

18.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.73 A$6.59

$5.41 A$7.54

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 A$8.07

$5.33 A$7.43

8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 A$4.25

$4.03 A$5.62

-24.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 A$130

$142 A$198

-34.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 A$5.68

$4.71 A$6.56

-13.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.41 A$1.97

14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.20 A$63.0

$31.32 A$43.67

44.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 A$1.81

$1.43 A$1.99

-9.79%

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

$28.0K A$39.1K

$29.5K A$41.1K

-4.86%

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

$30.8K A$43.0K

$27.0K A$37.6K

14.33%

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

$189 A$264

$239 A$334

-20.85%

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

$28.48 A$39.71

$28.19 A$39.30

1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.7

$57.3 A$79.9

-0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 A$87.5

$55.9 A$77.9

12.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.37 A$28.40

$22.72 A$31.68

-10.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 A$24.11

$17.89 A$24.94

-3.30%

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

$2,474 A$3,450

$2,456 A$3,424

0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K A$29.5K

$31.5K A$44.0K

-32.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.4 A$111

$82.4 A$115

-3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 A$82.7

$52.1 A$72.6

13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$120 A$168

4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 A$193

$137 A$191

1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 A$2,250

$1,777 A$2,477

-9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 A$1,611

$1,457 A$2,032

-20.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 A$3,136

$3,561 A$4,965

-36.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 A$2,479

$2,568 A$3,581

-30.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,041 A$9,817

$7,269 A$10.1K

-3.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,562 A$7,755

$6,897 A$9,616

-19.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,507 A$6,284

$4,459 A$6,217

1.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.84

1.88%

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

Last update for Berry: September 6, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Berry versus $1,777 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Berry, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Berry versus $86.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $403 – making Melbourne 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

Berry vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,696 in Berry, $2,910 in Melbourne – roughly 8% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,043 per month in Berry and $4,366 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Berry and $86.0 in Melbourne. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,696 in Berry and $2,910 in Melbourne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,696 in Berry and $2,910 in Melbourne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Berry – 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 Berry. 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.