Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnie and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Burnie and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,655 in Burnie versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,492 in Burnie versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,328 in Burnie versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Burnie costs roughly 31% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 A$22.27

$19.75 A$27.52

-19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 A$118

$78.7 A$110

7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 A$7.22

$9.70 A$13.52

-46.60%

Cappuccino

$3.55 A$4.95

$3.66 A$5.11

-3.01%

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

$2.71 A$3.78

$2.60 A$3.63

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.31

$2.34 A$3.26

-29.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 A$5.36

$7.17 A$10.00

-46.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 A$7.69

$6.99 A$9.73

-21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 A$2.56

$1.45 A$2.02

26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.52

$2.66 A$3.71

-4.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 A$2.38

$2.34 A$3.26

-26.92%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.59

$4.80 A$6.69

-1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 A$12.90

$8.77 A$12.21

5.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 A$7.97

$9.44 A$13.15

-39.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 A$22.96

$14.42 A$20.09

14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 A$3.56

$3.33 A$4.64

-23.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 A$3.67

$2.77 A$3.87

-5.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.79

$3.00 A$4.18

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 A$3.66

$3.95 A$5.50

-33.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.68 A$3.73

-1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 A$2.66

$2.36 A$3.28

-19.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 A$2.64

$2.14 A$2.98

-11.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 A$2.80

$1.63 A$2.27

23.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.53 A$35.57

$32.44 A$45.21

-21.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.62

$14.11 A$19.66

4.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 A$4.51

$4.64 A$6.47

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 A$7.30

$5.04 A$7.02

3.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 A$2.54

$3.49 A$4.87

-47.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 A$91.8

$120 A$167

-45.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 A$3.35

$3.50 A$4.88

-31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 A$2.52

$1.35 A$1.87

34.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 A$41.18

$26.94 A$37.55

9.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.68

$1.19 A$1.66

1.68%

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

$28.4K A$39.5K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-3.63%

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

$27.1K A$37.8K

$23.6K A$32.9K

14.93%

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

$198 A$276

$150 A$209

32.27%

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

$19.26 A$26.85

$21.16 A$29.49

-8.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.93 A$62.6

$50.3 A$70.1

-10.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.17 A$68.5

$49.14 A$68.5

0.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 A$21.68

$16.37 A$22.82

-4.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 A$18.04

$16.43 A$22.90

-21.24%

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

$1,702 A$2,372

$1,764 A$2,458

-3.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$16.9K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-36.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 A$88.8

$68.3 A$95.2

-6.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.79 A$31.75

$53.3 A$74.3

-57.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$146

$106 A$148

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 A$121

$105 A$146

-16.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 A$1,056

$1,572 A$2,191

-51.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 A$743

$1,195 A$1,665

-55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 A$1,462

$3,048 A$4,247

-65.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 A$1,099

$1,990 A$2,772

-60.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,321 A$8,808

$7,387 A$10.3K

-14.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,809 A$8,095

$6,527 A$9,095

-11.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,273 A$7,348

$4,512 A$6,288

16.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

6.19

-9.53%

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

Last update for Burnie: June 1, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Burnie and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnie pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Burnie vs $79.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $354, with Burnie cheaper for home cooking.

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

Burnie vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burnie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Burnie pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $758 in Burnie versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Burnie – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,655 in Burnie versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Burnie but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Burnie 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, Burnie 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 Burnie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.