Cost of Living Comparison Between Coffs Harbour and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Coffs Harbour and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,324 in Coffs Harbour versus $2,465 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,403 in Coffs Harbour versus $3,636 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,483 in Coffs Harbour versus $4,806 in Melbourne.

Living in Coffs Harbour costs roughly 6% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coffs Harbour 74% above, Melbourne 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.21 A$22.69

$19.34 A$27.07

-16.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.2 A$136

$78.4 A$110

24.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 A$13.31

$10.03 A$14.04

-5.18%

Cappuccino

$3.23 A$4.52

$3.62 A$5.07

-10.77%

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

$2.71 A$3.79

$2.61 A$3.66

3.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 A$2.76

$2.31 A$3.23

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.65 A$9.32

$7.43 A$10.40

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 A$10.66

$7.20 A$10.07

5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.09

$1.46 A$2.04

2.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 A$3.59

$2.66 A$3.72

-3.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.19

$2.32 A$3.25

-1.72%

Eggs

$3.20 A$4.48

$4.68 A$6.56

-31.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 A$9.98

$9.20 A$12.87

-22.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 A$9.22

$9.36 A$13.10

-29.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 A$17.50

$14.69 A$20.56

-14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 A$4.95

$3.21 A$4.49

9.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.91

$2.78 A$3.90

0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 A$5.15

$2.96 A$4.14

24.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 A$5.29

$4.09 A$5.73

-7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 A$1.83

$2.70 A$3.78

-51.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.34

$2.35 A$3.29

1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 A$2.79

$2.21 A$3.10

-9.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 A$3.43

$1.66 A$2.32

47.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.16 A$29.63

$32.79 A$45.91

-35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 A$19.84

$14.59 A$20.42

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.22 A$8.71

$4.72 A$6.61

31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 A$9.02

$5.09 A$7.13

26.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.41 A$6.17

$3.61 A$5.05

22.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 A$90.5

$118 A$165

-45.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 A$2.86

$3.68 A$5.15

-44.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$1.95

$1.39 A$1.95

0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.02 A$46.23

$27.58 A$38.61

19.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.60

$1.19 A$1.66

-4.20%

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

$29.1K A$40.8K

$29.3K A$41.0K

-0.49%

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

$22.0K A$30.9K

$23.7K A$33.2K

-6.95%

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

$161 A$226

$152 A$212

6.30%

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

$9.97 A$13.96

$21.15 A$29.62

-52.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$71.8

$49.94 A$69.9

2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.49 A$69.3

$49.19 A$68.9

0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.84 A$22.18

$16.15 A$22.62

-1.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 A$18.51

$15.99 A$22.38

-17.32%

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

$2,146 A$3,004

$1,756 A$2,458

22.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,063 A$9,889

$19.2K A$26.9K

-63.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 A$85.3

$66.9 A$93.6

-8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.54 A$68.0

$53.9 A$75.5

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 A$125

$106 A$148

-15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 A$175

$103 A$144

21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 A$1,817

$1,568 A$2,196

-17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 A$1,643

$1,183 A$1,656

-0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 A$2,781

$3,038 A$4,254

-34.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 A$2,569

$2,022 A$2,831

-9.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,699 A$5,179

$7,557 A$10.6K

-51.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,675 A$5,144

$6,527 A$9,138

-43.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 A$5,233

$4,490 A$6,287

-16.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.19

2.58%

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

Last update for Coffs Harbour: April 25, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Coffs Harbour and $1,568 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Coffs Harbour vs $78.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $357, with Coffs Harbour 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

Coffs Harbour vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coffs Harbour is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Melbourne earns 20% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,298 in Coffs Harbour versus $1,568 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Coffs Harbour runs roughly 82% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,146 in Coffs Harbour versus $1,756 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,324 in Coffs Harbour versus $2,465 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Coffs Harbour but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Coffs Harbour 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, Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.