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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,737 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,746 in Fort St John, BC versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Fort St John, BC costs roughly 28% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 29% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 CA$19.10

$19.75 A$27.52

-30.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.90 CA$62.2

$78.7 A$110

-42.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.20

$9.70 A$13.52

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$4.31 CA$5.97

$3.66 A$5.11

17.76%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$2.60 A$3.63

-28.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$2.34 A$3.26

-46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.79

$7.17 A$10.00

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$6.99 A$9.73

-19.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$1.45 A$2.02

62.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$2.66 A$3.71

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.45

$2.34 A$3.26

68.38%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$4.80 A$6.69

-19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.10

$8.77 A$12.21

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.13 CA$16.79

$9.44 A$13.15

28.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 CA$26.87

$14.42 A$20.09

34.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$3.33 A$4.64

56.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$2.77 A$3.87

-75.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.33

$3.00 A$4.18

28.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$3.95 A$5.50

-5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$2.68 A$3.73

94.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$2.36 A$3.28

22.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$2.14 A$2.98

17.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$1.63 A$2.27

38.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 CA$20.33

$32.44 A$45.21

-54.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.27 CA$29.44

$14.11 A$19.66

50.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$4.64 A$6.47

-36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$5.04 A$7.02

-40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$3.49 A$4.87

-58.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.49 CA$40.84

$120 A$167

-75.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 CA$10.03

$3.50 A$4.88

106.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CA$1.41

$1.35 A$1.87

-24.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.28 CA$36.38

$26.94 A$37.55

-2.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.19 A$1.66

5.88%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-14.34%

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

$20.5K CA$28.4K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-13.01%

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

$86.3 CA$119

$150 A$209

-42.45%

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

$104 CA$144

$21.16 A$29.49

391.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.1

$50.3 A$70.1

29.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 CA$77.3

$49.14 A$68.5

13.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.10

$16.43 A$22.90

-33.60%

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

$745 CA$1,032

$1,764 A$2,458

-57.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$19.2K A$26.7K

-39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 CA$103

$68.3 A$95.2

8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 CA$66.6

$53.3 A$74.3

-9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$117

$106 A$148

-20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CA$201

$105 A$146

38.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 CA$815

$1,572 A$2,191

-62.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 CA$765

$1,195 A$1,665

-53.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,803

$3,048 A$4,247

-57.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,557

$1,990 A$2,772

-43.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,124 CA$4,325

$4,512 A$6,288

-30.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

6.19

20.36%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: May 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Fort St John, BC and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 44% 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: $45.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $79.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $412 vs $354, 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

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

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Melbourne earns 44% less. 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: $589 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,572 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 $45.00 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,728 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $2,416 in Melbourne – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,416 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 40% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.