Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankston and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Frankston: $2,438 a month against $2,849 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Frankston
Learn more

Frankston Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
Learn more

Melbourne Living Index

Jump to prices

Frankston

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,438

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,849

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,438 per month in Frankston vs $2,849 in Melbourne, rent included.

Frankston $2,438
Melbourne $2,849

A couple spends around $3,403 per month in Frankston vs $4,274 in Melbourne, rent included.

Frankston $3,403
Melbourne $4,274

A family of three spends $4,369 per month in Frankston vs $5,699 in Melbourne, rent included.

Frankston $4,369
Melbourne $5,699

Frankston is about 14% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Frankston and Melbourne sit above the global median – Frankston by 79%, Melbourne by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 A$21.76

$17.50 A$24.99

-12.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 A$85.5

$84.3 A$120

-29.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 A$15.31

$12.17 A$17.38

-11.91%

Cappuccino

$2.74 A$3.92

$4.07 A$5.82

-32.68%

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

$3.18 A$4.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 A$2.97

$2.50 A$3.57

-16.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.03 A$14.32

$9.57 A$13.67

4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 A$9.72

$8.25 A$11.78

-17.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.16

$1.50 A$2.15

0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.74

$2.97 A$4.24

-11.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 A$2.94

$2.68 A$3.83

-23.13%

Eggs

$3.78 A$5.40

$5.45 A$7.79

-30.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 A$15.17

$10.71 A$15.30

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 A$13.67

$10.05 A$14.35

-4.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 A$11.13

$15.00 A$21.42

-48.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$4.07 A$5.81

-34.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.51

$3.14 A$4.48

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 A$3.94

$3.12 A$4.45

-11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.89

$4.73 A$6.76

-42.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.34

$2.98 A$4.26

2.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.71

$2.49 A$3.56

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 A$3.45

$2.48 A$3.54

-2.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 A$1.96

$1.60 A$2.28

-13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.80 A$61.1

$44.65 A$63.8

-4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 A$8.97

$12.68 A$18.11

-50.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 A$4.64

$5.55 A$7.92

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 A$6.03

$5.18 A$7.40

-18.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 A$5.16

$3.84 A$5.48

-5.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.1 A$119

$139 A$198

-40.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 A$6.34

$4.36 A$6.22

1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 A$2.05

$1.37 A$1.95

5.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.55 A$43.63

$29.72 A$42.45

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.49 A$2.12

-22.82%

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

$29.7K A$42.4K

$29.1K A$41.5K

2.06%

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

$26.3K A$37.6K

$25.7K A$36.7K

2.54%

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

$228 A$326

$236 A$337

-3.11%

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

$10.68 A$15.26

$28.01 A$40.01

-61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 A$81.0

$57.2 A$81.7

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 A$81.4

$48.39 A$69.1

17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 A$25.24

$21.46 A$30.65

-17.66%

Cinema Ticket

$17.47 A$24.95

$17.67 A$25.23

-1.13%

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

$2,450 A$3,499

$2,461 A$3,515

-0.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K A$43.4K

$29.7K A$42.4K

2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.9 A$114

$81.2 A$116

-1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$73.2

$49.28 A$70.4

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 A$126

$120 A$171

-26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.59 A$69.4

$131 A$187

-62.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 A$2,007

$1,703 A$2,432

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,780

$1,409 A$2,012

-11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 A$3,169

$3,496 A$4,992

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 A$2,629

$2,527 A$3,608

-27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,812 A$8,300

$7,978 A$11.4K

-27.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,351 A$7,641

$6,900 A$9,854

-22.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,360 A$6,227

$4,257 A$6,079

2.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Frankston: October 27, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Frankston

$1.2K 51.1%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.4% 13% $162

Groceries & Markets

Frankston

$302 12.4%

Melbourne

$386 13.6% 27.8% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Frankston

$296 12.1%

Melbourne

$321 11.3% 8.5% $25

Eating Out

Frankston

$272 11.2%

Melbourne

$312 11% 15% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Frankston

$120 4.9%

Melbourne

$171 6% 42.3% $51

Getting Around

Frankston

$109 4.5%

Melbourne

$165 5.8% 51.3% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Frankston

$92 3.8%

Melbourne

$84 2.9% 8.9% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,405 in Frankston versus $1,703 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Frankston versus $84 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $386 – making Frankston the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Frankston

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

14:47 2:47 PM

Same time as Frankston

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,331

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.7 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

1 AUD = 0.7 USD

1 AUD = 0.625 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Frankston Melbourne 41 km

From you

Frankston
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

Frankston vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,658 per month in Frankston and $4,273 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Frankston, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,405 there versus $1,703 in Melbourne.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Melbourne, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Frankston and $84 in Melbourne. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Melbourne has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,438 in Frankston to $2,849 in Melbourne. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Frankston is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 14% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.