Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Derby and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,267 in Derby versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Derby versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,281 in Derby versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Derby 69% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 A$22.98

$19.75 A$27.52

-16.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$109

$78.7 A$110

-0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 A$13.86

$9.70 A$13.52

2.47%

Cappuccino

$3.53 A$4.92

$3.66 A$5.11

-3.55%

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)

$2.20 A$3.06

$2.34 A$3.26

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 A$8.93

$7.17 A$10.00

-10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 A$9.86

$6.99 A$9.73

1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.07

$1.45 A$2.02

2.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 A$3.30

$2.66 A$3.71

-11.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.70

$2.34 A$3.26

-17.09%

Eggs

$4.36 A$6.08

$4.80 A$6.69

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 A$11.73

$8.77 A$12.21

-3.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 A$11.51

$9.44 A$13.15

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 A$19.32

$14.42 A$20.09

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$3.99

$2.77 A$3.87

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$3.00 A$4.18

-4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.78

$3.95 A$5.50

5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.34

$2.68 A$3.73

-10.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$2.94

$2.36 A$3.28

-10.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.05

$2.14 A$2.98

2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.63 A$2.27

-7.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.22 A$43.50

$32.44 A$45.21

-3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 A$18.16

$14.11 A$19.66

-7.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.34

$4.64 A$6.47

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 A$7.60

$5.04 A$7.02

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.67

$3.49 A$4.87

-24.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 A$90.1

$120 A$167

-46.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 A$5.03

$3.50 A$4.88

3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.23

$1.35 A$1.87

18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.95 A$45.92

$26.94 A$37.55

22.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.58

$1.19 A$1.66

-4.20%

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

$28.9K A$40.2K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-1.94%

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

$22.3K A$31.1K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-5.34%

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

$183 A$255

$150 A$209

21.87%

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

$27.50 A$38.32

$21.16 A$29.49

29.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 A$73.2

$50.3 A$70.1

4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.50 A$67.6

$49.14 A$68.5

-1.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.51 A$21.61

$16.37 A$22.82

-5.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 A$18.06

$16.43 A$22.90

-21.12%

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

$1,652 A$2,302

$1,764 A$2,458

-6.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-38.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 A$94.6

$68.3 A$95.2

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 A$70.0

$53.3 A$74.3

-5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 A$138

$106 A$148

-7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$105 A$146

0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 A$1,789

$1,572 A$2,191

-18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 A$1,470

$1,195 A$1,665

-11.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 A$2,796

$3,048 A$4,247

-34.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,656 A$2,308

$1,990 A$2,772

-16.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,597 A$7,800

$7,387 A$10.3K

-24.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,961 A$6,913

$6,527 A$9,095

-24.00%

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 Derby: May 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Derby and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Derby vs $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $354 per month, with Derby 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

Derby vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derby and Melbourne differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,267 vs $2,416 including rent). Derby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,401 in Derby and $3,624 in Melbourne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,284 in Derby 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 Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Derby – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,267 in Derby versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Derby but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Derby 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, Derby 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 Derby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.