Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dandenong and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Dandenong: $1,068 a month against $2,849 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Dandenong
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Dandenong Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Dandenong

🇦🇺 Australia

$1,068

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,849

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dandenong 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 Dandenong and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Dandenong vs $2,849 in Melbourne, rent included.

Dandenong $1,068
Melbourne $2,849

A couple spends around $2,360 per month in Dandenong vs $4,274 in Melbourne, rent included.

Dandenong $2,360
Melbourne $4,274

A family of three spends $3,651 per month in Dandenong vs $5,699 in Melbourne, rent included.

Dandenong $3,651
Melbourne $5,699

Dandenong is about 63% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Dandenong sits 22% below the global median, while Melbourne is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 A$25.14

$17.50 A$24.86

1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 A$73.5

$84.3 A$120

-38.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 A$17.31

$12.17 A$17.29

0.08%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.84

$4.07 A$5.79

0.98%

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

$2.31 A$3.29

$3.18 A$4.52

-27.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.29

$2.50 A$3.55

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 A$8.02

$9.57 A$13.60

-41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 A$5.02

$8.25 A$11.72

-57.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.14

$1.50 A$2.14

0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 A$3.53

$2.97 A$4.22

-16.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.51

$2.68 A$3.81

-7.84%

Eggs

$5.57 A$7.92

$5.45 A$7.75

2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 A$11.89

$10.71 A$15.22

-21.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 A$11.02

$10.05 A$14.28

-22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 A$16.87

$15.00 A$21.31

-20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.91

$4.07 A$5.78

-15.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.89

$3.14 A$4.46

-12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 A$3.05

$3.12 A$4.43

-31.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 A$2.95

$4.73 A$6.72

-56.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 A$2.91

$2.98 A$4.23

-31.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.56

$2.49 A$3.55

0.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 A$0.95

$2.48 A$3.53

-72.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.24

$1.60 A$2.27

-1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.38 A$64.5

$44.65 A$63.4

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 A$14.81

$12.68 A$18.02

-17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.76 A$8.19

$5.55 A$7.88

3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 A$5.07

$5.18 A$7.37

-31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.98 A$7.07

$3.84 A$5.45

29.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 A$6.18

$4.36 A$6.19

-0.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 A$2.02

$1.37 A$1.94

3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.49 A$43.32

$29.72 A$42.23

2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 A$1.94

$1.49 A$2.11

-8.72%

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

$29.9K A$42.6K

$29.1K A$41.3K

2.96%

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

$24.2K A$34.3K

$25.7K A$36.5K

-5.90%

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

$228 A$324

$236 A$335

-3.14%

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

$15.81 A$22.46

$28.01 A$39.80

-43.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.75 A$60.8

$57.2 A$81.3

-25.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 A$68.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 A$30.50

Cinema Ticket

$17.48 A$24.84

$17.67 A$25.10

-1.08%

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

$2,493 A$3,543

$2,461 A$3,497

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K A$43.5K

$29.7K A$42.2K

3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.84 A$45.24

$81.2 A$115

-60.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.19 A$24.42

$49.28 A$70.0

-65.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$147

$120 A$170

-13.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 A$162

$131 A$186

-13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 A$2,419

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 A$2,002

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 A$2,997

$3,496 A$4,967

-39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 A$1,998

$2,527 A$3,590

-44.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,978 A$11.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,805

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,124 A$5,860

$4,257 A$6,049

-3.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Dandenong: October 24, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dandenong

$314 29.4%

Melbourne

$386 13.6% 23.2% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dandenong

$287 26.9%

Melbourne

$321 11.3% 11.9% $34

Eating Out

Dandenong

$281 26.3%

Melbourne

$312 11% 11.1% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Dandenong

$120 11.2%

Melbourne

$171 6% 43% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Dandenong

$35 * 3.3%

Melbourne

$84 2.9% 139% $49

Getting Around

Dandenong

$31 * 2.9%

Melbourne

$165 5.8% 427% $134

Accommodation & Living

Dandenong

- * 0%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 3% 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 $52 in Dandenong versus $84 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $386 – making Dandenong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Dandenong

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

Same time as Dandenong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,127

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Dandenong vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 167%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,602 per month in Dandenong and $4,273 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,068 in Dandenong and $2,849 in Melbourne. That makes Dandenong about 63% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,493 per month in Dandenong and $2,461 in Melbourne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dandenong, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Melbourne at $2,849. In Dandenong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Melbourne has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,068 in Dandenong to $2,849 in Melbourne. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Dandenong. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.