Cost of Living Comparison Between Elk Grove, CA and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Elk Grove, CA and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,117 in Elk Grove, CA versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,601 in Elk Grove, CA versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,086 in Elk Grove, CA versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Elk Grove, CA is roughly 8% more expensive than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elk Grove, CA 127% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.12 $22.12

$17.95 A$24.91

23.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$84.6 A$117

-23.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$12.26 A$17.01

-1.39%

Cappuccino

$6.82 $6.82

$4.22 A$5.86

61.61%

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

$2.11 $2.11

$3.16 A$4.38

-33.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.66 A$3.70

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.42 $10.42

$9.98 A$13.86

4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.38 $10.38

$8.83 A$12.25

17.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.65 A$2.29

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.40 A$4.73

19.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.79 A$3.87

59.14%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$5.69 A$7.89

-4.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.82 $17.82

$11.30 A$15.69

57.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$9.67 A$13.42

20.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.15 $27.15

$15.78 A$21.90

72.05%

Apples (1kg)

$9.49 $9.49

$4.19 A$5.82

126.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.02 A$4.19

-44.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.17 $10.17

$3.27 A$4.54

211.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$4.81 A$6.68

-3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.26 A$4.52

-13.50%

Onion (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.60 A$3.61

137.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.51 A$3.49

20.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.64 A$2.28

35.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.13 $13.13

$46.11 A$64.0

-71.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.37 $21.37

$12.06 A$16.74

77.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$5.48 A$7.60

-64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.15 A$7.15

-32.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.83 A$5.31

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$144 A$201

5.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$4.31 A$5.98

-29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.47 A$2.04

21.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.42 $30.42

$31.02 A$43.05

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.46 A$2.03

-6.16%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$29.5K A$41.0K

5.12%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$27.7K A$38.5K

-17.99%

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

$201 $201

$242 A$336

-17.05%

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

$106 $106

$28.20 A$39.14

276.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 $133

$57.2 A$79.4

132.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.63 $41.63

$56.2 A$78.0

-25.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.96 $24.96

$21.71 A$30.13

14.97%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 $18.05

$17.89 A$24.83

0.89%

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

$1,475 $1,475

$2,443 A$3,391

-39.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$33.0K A$45.8K

-28.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 $88.8

$82.1 A$114

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.68 $40.68

$50.4 A$70.0

-19.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$173 $173

$126 A$175

36.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$138 A$192

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 $2,316

$1,774 A$2,462

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 $1,319

$1,427 A$1,981

-7.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,296 $3,296

$3,504 A$4,863

-5.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 $2,104

$2,517 A$3,493

-16.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,950 $3,950

$7,411 A$10.3K

-46.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,369 $2,369

$6,718 A$9,324

-64.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,486 $7,486

$4,478 A$6,215

67.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.83

5.85

-0.34%

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

Last update for Elk Grove, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,316 in Elk Grove, CA and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elk Grove, CA pays 67% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Elk Grove, CA vs $85.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $529 vs $397, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

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

Elk Grove, CA vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 67% higher in Elk Grove, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,316 in Elk Grove, CA versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Melbourne runs roughly 6% less than in Elk Grove, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,475 in Elk Grove, CA versus $2,443 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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, Elk Grove, CA 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 Elk Grove, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.