Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Canberra vs $2,416 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,566 per month in Canberra vs $3,579 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,650 per month in Canberra vs $4,742 in Melbourne, rent included.

Canberra costs about 3% more than Melbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Canberra and Melbourne sit above the global median – Canberra by 85%, Melbourne by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$19.75 A$27.52

-18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$78.7 A$110

9.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$9.70 A$13.52

1.65%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$3.66 A$5.11

-8.20%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$2.60 A$3.63

-0.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$2.34 A$3.26

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$7.17 A$10.00

-10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$6.99 A$9.73

7.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$1.45 A$2.02

-2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.66 A$3.71

0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$2.34 A$3.26

-20.94%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$4.80 A$6.69

-14.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$8.77 A$12.21

14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$9.44 A$13.15

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$14.42 A$20.09

3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$3.33 A$4.64

-1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$2.77 A$3.87

3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$3.00 A$4.18

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$3.95 A$5.50

23.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$2.68 A$3.73

-14.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.36 A$3.28

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$2.14 A$2.98

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.63 A$2.27

-20.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$32.44 A$45.21

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$14.11 A$19.66

4.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$4.64 A$6.47

9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$5.04 A$7.02

21.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$3.49 A$4.87

-6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$120 A$167

0.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$3.50 A$4.88

16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$1.35 A$1.87

27.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$26.94 A$37.55

50.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.19 A$1.66

-3.36%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-2.44%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-3.98%

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

$222 A$310

$150 A$209

48.27%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$21.16 A$29.49

42.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$50.3 A$70.1

3.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$49.14 A$68.5

22.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$16.37 A$22.82

26.76%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$16.43 A$22.90

-17.29%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$1,764 A$2,458

-0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-30.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$68.3 A$95.2

3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$53.3 A$74.3

6.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$106 A$148

-6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$105 A$146

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$1,572 A$2,191

-1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$1,195 A$1,665

-4.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$3,048 A$4,247

-6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$1,990 A$2,772

-11.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$7,387 A$10.3K

21.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$6,527 A$9,095

-6.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$4,512 A$6,288

2.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

6.19

1.62%

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

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Canberra 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.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Canberra, 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 $86.0 in Canberra versus $79.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $354 – 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

Canberra vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Canberra, $2,416 in Melbourne – roughly 3% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Canberra 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 Melbourne, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Canberra and $2,416 in Melbourne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Melbourne. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,482 in Canberra and $2,416 in Melbourne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Melbourne – 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 Melbourne. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.