Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Darwin and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,614 in Darwin versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Darwin versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,061 in Darwin versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Darwin is roughly 8% more expensive than Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Darwin 95% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 A$25.06

$19.75 A$27.52

-8.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 A$113

$78.7 A$110

3.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 A$17.48

$9.70 A$13.52

29.28%

Cappuccino

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.66 A$5.11

-4.92%

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

$2.66 A$3.70

$2.60 A$3.63

2.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 A$4.32

$2.34 A$3.26

32.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$7.17 A$10.00

-10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 A$10.96

$6.99 A$9.73

12.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.45 A$2.02

-17.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 A$3.77

$2.66 A$3.71

1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.34 A$3.26

-8.55%

Eggs

$4.09 A$5.71

$4.80 A$6.69

-14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 A$13.69

$8.77 A$12.21

11.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.27 A$11.53

$9.44 A$13.15

-12.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 A$11.95

$14.42 A$20.09

-40.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 A$4.99

$3.33 A$4.64

7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.07

$2.77 A$3.87

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 A$4.98

$3.00 A$4.18

19.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 A$6.28

$3.95 A$5.50

14.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.28

$2.68 A$3.73

14.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.15

$2.36 A$3.28

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.01

$2.14 A$2.98

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 A$3.43

$1.63 A$2.27

50.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.12 A$35.01

$32.44 A$45.21

-22.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 A$16.76

$14.11 A$19.66

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$9.35 A$13.03

$4.64 A$6.47

101.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 A$10.11

$5.04 A$7.02

43.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 A$3.11

$3.49 A$4.87

-36.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.83 A$63.9

$120 A$167

-61.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 A$4.83

$3.50 A$4.88

-0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.35 A$1.87

-11.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.63 A$63.6

$26.94 A$37.55

69.38%

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)

$29.2K A$40.7K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-0.81%

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

$32.5K A$45.3K

$23.6K A$32.9K

37.84%

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

$235 A$327

$150 A$209

56.65%

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

$35.29 A$49.18

$21.16 A$29.49

66.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 A$83.5

$50.3 A$70.1

19.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.5 A$104

$49.14 A$68.5

51.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 A$22.18

$16.37 A$22.82

-2.75%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 A$21.66

$16.43 A$22.90

-5.42%

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

$1,544 A$2,152

$1,764 A$2,458

-12.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 A$11.0K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-58.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 A$110

$68.3 A$95.2

15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.72 A$63.7

$53.3 A$74.3

-14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$140

$106 A$148

-5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$181

$105 A$146

23.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 A$2,238

$1,572 A$2,191

2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 A$1,836

$1,195 A$1,665

10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 A$3,880

$3,048 A$4,247

-8.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,232 A$3,111

$1,990 A$2,772

12.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 A$5,459

$7,387 A$10.3K

-46.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 A$4,985

$6,527 A$9,095

-45.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,263 A$5,941

$4,512 A$6,288

-5.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.19

3.39%

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

Last update for Darwin: May 30, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,606 in Darwin and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Darwin vs $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $354 per month, with Melbourne cheaper across the board.

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

Darwin vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Melbourne earns 6% 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: $1,606 in Darwin versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Darwin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Melbourne – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $81.0 in Darwin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Melbourne is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Darwin 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 Melbourne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Darwin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.