Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongying and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Dongying: $705 a month against $2,852 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $25,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dongying
🇨🇳 China
$705
/mo nomad
Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,852
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $705 in Dongying versus $2,852 in Melbourne.

  • Dongying $705
  • Melbourne $2,852

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Dongying versus $4,297 in Melbourne.

  • Dongying $1,139
  • Melbourne $4,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,572 in Dongying versus $5,742 in Melbourne.

  • Dongying $1,572
  • Melbourne $5,742

Living in Dongying costs roughly 75% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dongying is 47% below, Melbourne is 113% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86 ¥19.13
$17.75 A$25.51
-83.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.81 ¥146
$84.8 A$122
-74.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.92 ¥32.86
$12.16 A$17.47
-59.54%
Cappuccino
$3.10 ¥20.71
$3.93 A$5.64
-21.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ¥2.93
$3.14 A$4.51
-85.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.95
$2.43 A$3.49
-88.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.95 ¥6.37
$9.90 A$14.23
-90.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ¥14.05
$8.29 A$11.91
-74.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 ¥12.59
$1.55 A$2.22
21.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 ¥10.78
$3.01 A$4.32
-46.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.92 ¥6.12
$2.88 A$4.14
-68.06%
Eggs
$1.60 ¥10.71
$5.44 A$7.82
-70.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 ¥86.3
$10.59 A$15.23
21.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.16 ¥21.13
$9.61 A$13.81
-67.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.03 ¥67.0
$14.99 A$21.55
-33.09%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ¥12.40
$4.15 A$5.97
-55.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 ¥8.10
$3.05 A$4.39
-60.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.48 ¥9.86
$3.30 A$4.74
-55.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.15 ¥7.66
$4.76 A$6.84
-75.84%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ¥4.60
$3.04 A$4.36
-77.30%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 ¥6.52
$2.55 A$3.67
-61.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 ¥3.78
$2.48 A$3.56
-77.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ¥3.45
$1.63 A$2.34
-68.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.16 ¥21.14
$44.07 A$63.3
-92.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.48 ¥70.0
$12.43 A$17.86
-15.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥5.39
$5.33 A$7.66
-84.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ¥11.01
$5.16 A$7.41
-68.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.96
$3.84 A$5.52
-92.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.73 ¥112
$142 A$203
-88.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.43 ¥9.53
$4.40 A$6.32
-67.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.18
$1.40 A$2.02
-76.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.80 ¥45.42
$29.83 A$42.86
-77.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 ¥7.47
$1.46 A$2.10
-23.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K ¥130.4K
$28.1K A$40.4K
-30.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.4K ¥116.0K
$25.9K A$37.3K
-33.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.89 ¥300
$233 A$334
-80.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.96 ¥66.6
$27.28 A$39.20
-63.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.55 ¥77.2
$57.0 A$82.0
-79.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.59 ¥278
$52.7 A$75.7
-21.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.06 ¥93.9
$22.62 A$32.50
-37.84%
Cinema Ticket
$5.79 ¥38.69
$17.10 A$24.58
-66.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$336 ¥2,245
$2,373 A$3,411
-85.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K ¥113.1K
$30.5K A$43.8K
-44.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.57 ¥291
$78.2 A$112
-44.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.12 ¥201
$50.5 A$72.5
-40.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.7 ¥473
$121 A$173
-41.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.7 ¥486
$133 A$191
-45.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$275 ¥1,839
$1,713 A$2,461
-83.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 ¥1,296
$1,402 A$2,015
-86.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$581 ¥3,880
$3,339 A$4,798
-82.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$360 ¥2,406
$2,529 A$3,634
-85.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,987 ¥20.0K
$7,018 A$10.1K
-57.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,015 ¥13.5K
$6,767 A$9,725
-70.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dongying
Melbourne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,228 A$6,077
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.89
5.9
-34.07%

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

Last update for Dongying: October 6, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dongying
$199
Melbourne
$385 94% $187
Accommodation & Living
Dongying
$194
Melbourne
$1.4K 623% $1.2K
Clothing & Footwear
Dongying
$98
Melbourne
$172 76.1% $74
Eating Out
Dongying
$87
Melbourne
$314 262% $227
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dongying
$66
Melbourne
$317 377% $251
Sport & Entertainment
Dongying
$53
Melbourne
$87 63.4% $34
Getting Around
Dongying
$21
Melbourne
$168 703% $147

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $275 in Dongying and $1,713 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Dongying vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $385 per month, with Dongying cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Dongying
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🕒 Local time
16:21 4:21 PM
19:21 7:21 PM
3 h ahead of Dongying
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,035,300
5,031,195
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dongying Melbourne 8,800 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dongying
  • Melbourne

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
Dongying vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melbourne cheaper than Dongying?
Dongying is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 304% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,058 in Dongying and $4,277 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.
What is the rent difference between Dongying and Melbourne?
Rent for a central apartment: $275 in Dongying versus $1,713 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $336 in Dongying versus $2,373 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Dongying and in Melbourne?
Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dongying or in Melbourne?
At $705 in Dongying versus $2,852 in Melbourne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongying but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Dongying the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Dongying or in Melbourne?
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.
Which city is safer, Dongying or Melbourne?
Safety-wise, Dongying 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dongying gentler on the wallet – expenses run 304% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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