Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort St John, BC: $1,949 a month against $2,853 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Fort St John, BC
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Fort St John, BC Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Fort St John, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,949

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,853

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,949 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,853 in Melbourne.

Fort St John, BC $1,949
Melbourne $2,853

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,002 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,275 in Melbourne.

Fort St John, BC $3,002
Melbourne $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,055 in Fort St John, BC versus $5,697 in Melbourne.

Fort St John, BC $4,055
Melbourne $5,697

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 32% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 44% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.70 CA$25.02

$17.20 A$24.75

2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.02 CA$59.4

$83.1 A$120

-49.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 CA$13.22

$12.43 A$17.88

-24.78%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.49

$4.05 A$5.82

-3.95%

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

$1.82 CA$2.58

$3.12 A$4.50

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CA$1.73

$2.46 A$3.54

-50.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.19 CA$8.75

$9.52 A$13.71

-34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 CA$6.38

$8.16 A$11.74

-44.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.34 CA$4.72

$1.56 A$2.25

114.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 CA$3.94

$2.90 A$4.18

-3.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.17

$2.66 A$3.82

37.59%

Eggs

$4.18 CA$5.90

$5.37 A$7.72

-22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 CA$16.99

$10.67 A$15.36

12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.69 CA$19.36

$9.85 A$14.17

38.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 CA$26.26

$15.36 A$22.11

20.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 CA$8.10

$4.17 A$6.00

37.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 CA$1.03

$3.15 A$4.53

-76.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.33

$3.26 A$4.69

15.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.11

$4.76 A$6.85

-24.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.98

$3.06 A$4.41

-7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.90

$2.47 A$3.55

11.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$3.03

$2.45 A$3.52

-12.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.57

$1.63 A$2.34

54.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 CA$20.29

$45.17 A$65.0

-68.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.42 CA$30.29

$12.68 A$18.25

68.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.85 CA$6.85

$5.69 A$8.18

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.91

$5.23 A$7.53

7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$3.87 A$5.57

-62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.86 CA$40.80

$142 A$204

-79.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 A$6.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 A$2.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.59 A$44.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.76

$1.47 A$2.11

-14.97%

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

$28.9K A$41.5K

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

$25.9K A$37.3K

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

$126 CA$178

$235 A$338

-46.50%

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

$101 CA$142

$27.45 A$39.51

266.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 CA$86.2

$56.1 A$80.8

8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.48 CA$19.06

$50.1 A$72.1

-73.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.49 A$30.93

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 CA$14.94

$17.76 A$25.56

-40.54%

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

$697 CA$985

$2,385 A$3,432

-70.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K A$42.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 CA$101

$79.2 A$114

-10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.43 CA$67.0

$49.49 A$71.2

-4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$148

$118 A$170

-11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 CA$202

$132 A$190

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 CA$1,036

$1,763 A$2,537

-58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 CA$1,002

$1,411 A$2,031

-49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 CA$2,180

$3,522 A$5,069

-56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 CA$1,971

$2,525 A$3,634

-44.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,291 CA$1,824

$7,136 A$10.3K

-81.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,355 A$9,144

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,094 CA$4,374

$4,258 A$6,128

-27.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.9

3.39%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fort St John, BC

$709 36.4%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.5% 99.1% $702

Groceries & Markets

Fort St John, BC

$450 23.1%

Melbourne

$388 13.6% 13.7% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort St John, BC

$287 14.7%

Melbourne

$319 11.2% 10.9% $31

Eating Out

Fort St John, BC

$268 13.8%

Melbourne

$310 10.9% 15.4% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Fort St John, BC

$165 8.5%

Melbourne

$171 6% 3.4% $5.6

Getting Around

Fort St John, BC

$35 * 1.8%

Melbourne

$169 5.9% 388% $134

Sport & Entertainment

Fort St John, BC

$35 1.8%

Melbourne

$86 3% 147% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Fort St John, BC and $1,763 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 38% 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: $42.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $83.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $388, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Fort St John, BC

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

04:54 4:54 AM

22:54 10:54 PM

18 h ahead of Fort St John, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,609

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Fort St John, BC Melbourne 13,660 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Fort St John, BC
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

Fort St John, BC vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Melbourne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,763 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $83.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,949 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,853 in Melbourne – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,949 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,853 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC 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, Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.