Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubbo and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubbo and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,295 per month in Dubbo vs $2,465 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,354 per month in Dubbo vs $3,636 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,412 per month in Dubbo vs $4,806 in Melbourne, rent included.

Dubbo is about 7% cheaper than Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dubbo and Melbourne sit above the global median – Dubbo by 71%, Melbourne by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.55 A$23.01

$19.34 A$26.88

-14.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 A$107

$78.4 A$109

-2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 A$12.96

$10.03 A$13.94

-6.98%

Cappuccino

$3.35 A$4.66

$3.62 A$5.04

-7.46%

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

$3.18 A$4.43

$2.61 A$3.63

21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 A$3.64

$2.31 A$3.21

13.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.27

$7.43 A$10.32

-10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 A$9.93

$7.20 A$10.00

-0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 A$3.11

$1.46 A$2.03

53.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 A$3.90

$2.66 A$3.70

5.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 A$2.99

$2.32 A$3.22

-7.33%

Eggs

$3.29 A$4.57

$4.68 A$6.51

-29.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 A$11.97

$9.20 A$12.78

-6.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 A$15.91

$9.36 A$13.01

22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 A$19.05

$14.69 A$20.42

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 A$4.27

$3.21 A$4.46

-4.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.08

$2.78 A$3.87

5.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.39

$2.96 A$4.11

-17.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 A$7.04

$4.09 A$5.69

23.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.18

$2.70 A$3.76

-15.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.58

$2.35 A$3.26

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 A$3.00

$2.21 A$3.08

-2.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 A$2.70

$1.66 A$2.30

16.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.29 A$36.55

$32.79 A$45.58

-19.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 A$19.75

$14.59 A$20.28

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 A$6.20

$4.72 A$6.56

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.48

$5.09 A$7.08

-8.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 A$3.71

$3.61 A$5.02

-26.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 A$89.5

$118 A$163

-45.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 A$4.15

$3.68 A$5.11

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.23

$1.39 A$1.94

15.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.07 A$45.97

$27.58 A$38.34

19.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 A$1.70

$1.19 A$1.65

2.52%

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

$29.4K A$40.9K

$29.3K A$40.7K

0.54%

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

$22.5K A$31.3K

$23.7K A$32.9K

-4.98%

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

$187 A$260

$152 A$211

23.18%

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

$27.20 A$37.81

$21.15 A$29.40

28.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 A$107

$49.94 A$69.4

53.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.00 A$68.1

$49.19 A$68.4

-0.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.76 A$21.91

$16.15 A$22.45

-2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 A$18.17

$15.99 A$22.22

-18.26%

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

$1,595 A$2,217

$1,756 A$2,441

-9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$16.8K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-37.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 A$95.0

$66.9 A$92.9

2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 A$69.7

$53.9 A$75.0

-7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 A$136

$106 A$147

-7.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$103 A$143

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 A$1,249

$1,568 A$2,180

-42.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 A$1,499

$1,183 A$1,644

-8.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 A$2,120

$3,038 A$4,223

-49.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 A$2,341

$2,022 A$2,811

-16.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,789 A$2,487

$7,557 A$10.5K

-76.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,033 A$6,996

$6,527 A$9,073

-22.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,909 A$2,654

$4,490 A$6,242

-57.49%

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 Dubbo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Dubbo versus $1,568 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 135% 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 $77.0 in Dubbo versus $78.0 in Melbourne. Groceries tell a different story – $367 in Dubbo vs $357 in Melbourne – so Melbourne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dubbo vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,295 in Dubbo, $2,465 in Melbourne – roughly 7% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,443 per month in Dubbo and $3,698 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dubbo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,595 per month in Dubbo and $1,756 in Melbourne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Melbourne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dubbo, where all-in costs run around $2,295, than in Melbourne at $2,465. In Dubbo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dubbo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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