Cost of Living Comparison Between Berwick and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Berwick and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,250 in Berwick versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,254 in Berwick versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,258 in Berwick versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Berwick costs roughly 7% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Berwick 68% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.43 A$22.89

$19.75 A$27.52

-16.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.0 A$109

$78.7 A$110

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 A$13.92

$9.70 A$13.52

2.99%

Cappuccino

$3.41 A$4.74

$3.66 A$5.11

-6.83%

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

$2.50 A$3.49

$2.60 A$3.63

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.07

$2.34 A$3.26

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 A$9.02

$7.17 A$10.00

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 A$9.70

$6.99 A$9.73

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.05

$1.45 A$2.02

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 A$3.28

$2.66 A$3.71

-11.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.81

$2.34 A$3.26

-14.10%

Eggs

$4.36 A$6.07

$4.80 A$6.69

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 A$11.81

$8.77 A$12.21

-3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 A$12.03

$9.44 A$13.15

-8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 A$19.39

$14.42 A$20.09

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.42

$3.33 A$4.64

-4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.83

$2.77 A$3.87

-0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.15

$3.00 A$4.18

-0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 A$5.77

$3.95 A$5.50

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 A$3.39

$2.68 A$3.73

-9.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 A$2.91

$2.36 A$3.28

-11.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.00

$2.14 A$2.98

0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.19

$1.63 A$2.27

-3.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.34 A$42.28

$32.44 A$45.21

-6.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 A$19.34

$14.11 A$19.66

-1.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.60 A$6.41

$4.64 A$6.47

-0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.26

$5.04 A$7.02

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.68

$3.49 A$4.87

-24.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 A$92.1

$120 A$167

-44.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.93

$3.50 A$4.88

1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.25

$1.35 A$1.87

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.97 A$45.94

$26.94 A$37.55

22.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.64

$1.19 A$1.66

-0.84%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

-0.11%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-5.06%

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

$180 A$251

$150 A$209

20.11%

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

$27.20 A$37.91

$21.16 A$29.49

28.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 A$73.8

$50.3 A$70.1

5.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.16 A$67.1

$49.14 A$68.5

-1.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.85 A$22.09

$16.37 A$22.82

-3.18%

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 A$18.33

$16.43 A$22.90

-19.96%

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

$1,648 A$2,297

$1,764 A$2,458

-6.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-37.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 A$96.5

$68.3 A$95.2

1.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.66 A$69.2

$53.3 A$74.3

-6.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 A$136

$106 A$148

-7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$148

$105 A$146

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 A$1,729

$1,572 A$2,191

-21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 A$1,490

$1,195 A$1,665

-10.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 A$2,848

$3,048 A$4,247

-32.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 A$2,319

$1,990 A$2,772

-16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,399 A$7,523

$7,387 A$10.3K

-26.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,343 A$7,446

$6,527 A$9,095

-18.14%

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 Berwick: June 2, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,241 in Berwick and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Berwick vs $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $354 per month, with Berwick 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

Berwick vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Berwick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,375 in Berwick and $3,624 in Melbourne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,241 in Berwick versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Berwick – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,250 per month in Berwick versus $2,416 in Melbourne – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,250 in Berwick versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Berwick but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Berwick 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, Berwick 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 Berwick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.