Cost of Living Comparison Between Castle Hill and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Castle Hill and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,230 per month in Castle Hill vs $2,416 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,240 per month in Castle Hill vs $3,579 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,249 per month in Castle Hill vs $4,742 in Melbourne, rent included.

Castle Hill is about 8% cheaper than Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Castle Hill and Melbourne sit above the global median – Castle Hill by 66%, Melbourne by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.92 A$19.39

$19.75 A$27.52

-29.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 A$84.2

$78.7 A$110

-23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 A$13.95

$9.70 A$13.52

3.20%

Cappuccino

$3.40 A$4.74

$3.66 A$5.11

-7.10%

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)

$2.17 A$3.03

$2.34 A$3.26

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.39 A$8.91

$7.17 A$10.00

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 A$9.98

$6.99 A$9.73

2.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.06

$1.45 A$2.02

2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 A$3.36

$2.66 A$3.71

-9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 A$2.84

$2.34 A$3.26

-12.82%

Eggs

$4.45 A$6.20

$4.80 A$6.69

-7.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 A$12.18

$8.77 A$12.21

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 A$12.04

$9.44 A$13.15

-8.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 A$19.10

$14.42 A$20.09

-4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 A$4.47

$3.33 A$4.64

-3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.00

$2.77 A$3.87

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.97

$3.00 A$4.18

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 A$5.88

$3.95 A$5.50

6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.68 A$3.73

-5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.36 A$3.28

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.14 A$2.98

-1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 A$2.21

$1.63 A$2.27

-2.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.30 A$43.61

$32.44 A$45.21

-3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.02 A$22.33

$14.11 A$19.66

13.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.34

$4.64 A$6.47

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 A$7.66

$5.04 A$7.02

9.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 A$3.70

$3.49 A$4.87

-23.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 A$92.1

$120 A$167

-44.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.12

$3.50 A$4.88

5.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$1.35 A$1.87

19.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.33 A$46.44

$26.94 A$37.55

23.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

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

$29.2K A$40.8K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-0.60%

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

$22.1K A$30.8K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-6.36%

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

$186 A$260

$150 A$209

24.19%

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

$27.82 A$38.77

$21.16 A$29.49

31.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$50.3 A$70.1

4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.91 A$68.2

$49.14 A$68.5

-0.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.66 A$21.82

$16.37 A$22.82

-4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.25 A$18.46

$16.43 A$22.90

-19.35%

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

$1,627 A$2,268

$1,764 A$2,458

-7.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-37.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.1

$68.3 A$95.2

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 A$70.1

$53.3 A$74.3

-5.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$140

$106 A$148

-5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$151

$105 A$146

3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 A$1,775

$1,572 A$2,191

-18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 A$1,507

$1,195 A$1,665

-9.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 A$2,837

$3,048 A$4,247

-33.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 A$2,297

$1,990 A$2,772

-17.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,528 A$9,097

$7,387 A$10.3K

-11.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,701 A$7,944

$6,527 A$9,095

-12.66%

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 Castle Hill: May 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,274 in Castle Hill 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Castle Hill versus $79.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $354 – making Castle Hill 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

Castle Hill vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,230 in Castle Hill, $2,416 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 $3,346 per month in Castle Hill 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 Castle Hill, 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 $60.0 in Castle Hill and $79.0 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 $2,230 in Castle Hill and $2,416 in Melbourne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Castle Hill, where all-in costs run around $2,230, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Castle Hill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Castle Hill – 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 Castle Hill. 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.