Cost of Living Comparison Between Forbes and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Forbes and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,253 in Forbes versus $2,465 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,312 in Forbes versus $3,636 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,370 in Forbes versus $4,806 in Melbourne.

Living in Forbes costs roughly 9% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Forbes 68% above, Melbourne 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 A$22.26

$19.34 A$26.88

-17.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.3 A$107

$78.4 A$109

-1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 A$13.28

$10.03 A$13.94

-4.79%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.70

$3.62 A$5.04

-6.63%

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

$2.61 A$3.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 A$3.02

$2.31 A$3.21

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 A$9.06

$7.43 A$10.32

-12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 A$9.63

$7.20 A$10.00

-3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.97

$1.46 A$2.03

-2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 A$3.38

$2.66 A$3.70

-8.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 A$2.75

$2.32 A$3.22

-14.66%

Eggs

$4.36 A$6.06

$4.68 A$6.51

-6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 A$12.01

$9.20 A$12.78

-6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 A$11.98

$9.36 A$13.01

-7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 A$19.10

$14.69 A$20.42

-6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 A$4.50

$3.21 A$4.46

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.91

$2.78 A$3.87

1.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.10

$2.96 A$4.11

-0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.66

$4.09 A$5.69

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.32

$2.70 A$3.76

-11.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.92

$2.35 A$3.26

-10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.93

$2.21 A$3.08

-4.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.13

$1.66 A$2.30

-7.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.13 A$43.28

$32.79 A$45.58

-5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 A$18.73

$14.59 A$20.28

-7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 A$6.22

$4.72 A$6.56

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.27

$5.09 A$7.08

2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 A$3.64

$3.61 A$5.02

-27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$89.0

$118 A$163

-45.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.92

$3.68 A$5.11

-3.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.13

$1.39 A$1.94

10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.24 A$46.21

$27.58 A$38.34

20.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.57

$1.19 A$1.65

-5.04%

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$29.3K A$40.7K

-2.30%

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

$22.3K A$31.0K

$23.7K A$32.9K

-5.86%

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

$186 A$258

$152 A$211

22.61%

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

$27.73 A$38.55

$21.15 A$29.40

31.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 A$74.0

$49.94 A$69.4

6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.41 A$68.7

$49.19 A$68.4

0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 A$21.52

$16.15 A$22.45

-4.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.18 A$18.32

$15.99 A$22.22

-17.57%

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

$1,600 A$2,224

$1,756 A$2,441

-8.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.4K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-38.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 A$94.4

$66.9 A$92.9

1.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$71.2

$53.9 A$75.0

-5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 A$136

$106 A$147

-7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$150

$103 A$143

4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 A$1,777

$1,568 A$2,180

-18.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 A$1,488

$1,183 A$1,644

-9.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 A$2,816

$3,038 A$4,223

-33.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 A$2,336

$2,022 A$2,811

-16.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,262 A$8,704

$7,557 A$10.5K

-17.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,125 A$7,124

$6,527 A$9,073

-21.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,490 A$6,242

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 Forbes: April 26, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Forbes and $1,568 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Forbes vs $78.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $357 per month, with Forbes 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

Forbes vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Forbes and Melbourne differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,253 vs $2,465 including rent). Forbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,380 in Forbes and $3,698 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: $1,278 in Forbes versus $1,568 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,253 per month in Forbes versus $2,465 in Melbourne – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Forbes runs roughly 84% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,253 in Forbes versus $2,465 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Forbes but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Forbes 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, Forbes 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 Forbes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.