Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bundaberg and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Bundaberg: $2,083 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Bundaberg
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Bundaberg Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Bundaberg

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,083

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bundaberg and in Melbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bundaberg and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Bundaberg vs $2,821 in Melbourne, rent included.

Bundaberg $2,083
Melbourne $2,821

A couple spends around $3,117 per month in Bundaberg vs $4,235 in Melbourne, rent included.

Bundaberg $3,117
Melbourne $4,235

A family of three spends $4,151 per month in Bundaberg vs $5,650 in Melbourne, rent included.

Bundaberg $4,151
Melbourne $5,650

Bundaberg is about 26% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bundaberg and Melbourne sit above the global median – Bundaberg by 54%, Melbourne by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 A$21.87

$17.43 A$25.08

-12.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 A$98.2

$84.6 A$122

-19.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 A$15.22

$12.46 A$17.92

-15.09%

Cappuccino

$3.81 A$5.48

$4.11 A$5.91

-7.30%

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

$2.22 A$3.19

$3.06 A$4.40

-27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 A$3.30

$2.52 A$3.62

-9.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 A$10.96

$9.80 A$14.10

-22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 A$11.62

$8.57 A$12.33

-5.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 A$2.93

$1.48 A$2.14

37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 A$3.51

$2.94 A$4.23

-17.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.55

$2.66 A$3.82

18.80%

Eggs

$4.56 A$6.56

$5.54 A$7.97

-17.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 A$14.51

$10.51 A$15.13

-4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 A$13.93

$9.65 A$13.89

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 A$32.08

$15.22 A$21.91

46.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 A$5.06

$3.99 A$5.75

-12.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.76

$3.02 A$4.34

-13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.08

$3.10 A$4.46

-8.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 A$6.12

$4.82 A$6.93

-11.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.63

$3.03 A$4.36

6.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 A$3.50

$2.44 A$3.52

-0.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 A$2.95

$2.46 A$3.54

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 A$3.70

$1.63 A$2.34

57.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.58 A$44.01

$44.07 A$63.4

-30.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 A$18.26

$12.70 A$18.28

-0.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.96

$5.54 A$7.97

37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 A$7.44

$5.23 A$7.52

-1.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 A$3.89

$3.74 A$5.38

-27.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 A$87.3

$138 A$198

-55.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 A$4.51

$4.51 A$6.50

-30.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 A$2.45

$1.36 A$1.96

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.64 A$57.0

$30.45 A$43.81

30.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 A$1.83

$1.47 A$2.12

-13.61%

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

$27.4K A$39.4K

$29.0K A$41.7K

-5.50%

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

$29.8K A$42.9K

$26.5K A$38.1K

12.63%

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

$140 A$201

$234 A$336

-40.19%

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

$27.31 A$39.29

$27.93 A$40.19

-2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 A$82.7

$55.7 A$80.2

3.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$81.4

$49.40 A$71.1

14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.66 A$25.41

$21.48 A$30.91

-17.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 A$18.28

$15.09 A$21.72

-15.77%

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

$2,174 A$3,128

$2,371 A$3,412

-8.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K A$29.1K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-32.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 A$154

$80.0 A$115

34.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 A$105

$50.7 A$73.0

43.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 A$210

$121 A$174

20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 A$227

$130 A$188

20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 A$1,240

$1,759 A$2,531

-51.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 A$1,137

$1,390 A$2,000

-43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 A$2,357

$3,494 A$5,027

-53.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 A$1,805

$2,493 A$3,588

-49.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,701 A$8,203

$6,926 A$9,967

-17.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,490 A$7,899

$6,445 A$9,274

-14.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,833 A$4,076

$4,383 A$6,307

-35.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

1.69%

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

Last update for Bundaberg: October 12, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bundaberg

$790 37.9%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 75.9% $600

Groceries & Markets

Bundaberg

$414 19.9%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 7.4% $31

Eating Out

Bundaberg

$271 13%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 15.9% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bundaberg

$225 10.8%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 41.3% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Bundaberg

$218 10.5%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 21.1% $46

Getting Around

Bundaberg

$83 4%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 96.9% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Bundaberg

$82 3.9%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 2.9% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $861 in Bundaberg versus $1,759 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 55% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bundaberg versus $85.0 in Melbourne. Groceries tell a different story – $414 in Bundaberg vs $384 in Melbourne – so Melbourne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Bundaberg

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

00:43 12:43 AM

01:43 1:43 AM

1 h ahead of Bundaberg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,370

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Bundaberg Melbourne 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bundaberg
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bundaberg vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 35% more than Bundaberg, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,124 per month in Bundaberg and $4,231 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Melbourne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bundaberg and $85.0 in Melbourne. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bundaberg, where all-in costs run around $2,083, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Bundaberg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bundaberg – 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 Bundaberg. 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.