Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukuoka and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Fukuoka: $1,259 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Fukuoka
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Fukuoka Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Fukuoka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,259

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Fukuoka vs $2,821 in Melbourne, rent included.

Fukuoka $1,259
Melbourne $2,821

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in Fukuoka vs $4,235 in Melbourne, rent included.

Fukuoka $2,001
Melbourne $4,235

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Fukuoka vs $5,650 in Melbourne, rent included.

Fukuoka $2,743
Melbourne $5,650

Fukuoka is about 55% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Fukuoka sits 7% below the global median, while Melbourne is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 ¥1,138

$17.43 A$25.08

-58.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.93 ¥6,783

$84.6 A$122

-49.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ¥922

$12.46 A$17.92

-53.13%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ¥596

$4.11 A$5.91

-8.27%

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

$1.03 ¥163

$3.06 A$4.40

-66.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥111

$2.52 A$3.62

-72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 ¥599

$9.80 A$14.10

-61.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥344

$8.57 A$12.33

-74.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥243

$1.48 A$2.14

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥302

$2.94 A$4.23

-35.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.64 ¥1,050

$2.66 A$3.82

149.62%

Eggs

$2.29 ¥362

$5.54 A$7.97

-58.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.31 ¥2,893

$10.51 A$15.13

74.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 ¥853

$9.65 A$13.89

-44.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.00 ¥3,002

$15.22 A$21.91

24.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ¥560

$3.99 A$5.75

-11.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥287

$3.02 A$4.34

-40.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ¥453

$3.10 A$4.46

-7.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 ¥531

$4.82 A$6.93

-30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 ¥340

$3.03 A$4.36

-29.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥409

$2.44 A$3.52

6.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ¥161

$2.46 A$3.54

-58.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥147

$1.63 A$2.34

-42.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 ¥599

$44.07 A$63.4

-91.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 ¥1,025

$12.70 A$18.28

-48.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥270

$5.54 A$7.97

-69.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥286

$5.23 A$7.52

-65.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 ¥232

$3.74 A$5.38

-60.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.37 ¥6,537

$138 A$198

-69.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ¥618

$4.51 A$6.50

-13.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥331

$1.36 A$1.96

53.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 ¥2,792

$30.45 A$43.81

-41.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥175

$1.47 A$2.12

-24.49%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$29.0K A$41.7K

-25.76%

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

$17.6K ¥2.8M

$26.5K A$38.1K

-33.46%

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

$207 ¥32.8K

$234 A$336

-11.26%

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

$25.04 ¥3,955

$27.93 A$40.19

-10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.65 ¥5,159

$55.7 A$80.2

-41.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 ¥8,506

$49.40 A$71.1

8.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 ¥1,724

$15.09 A$21.72

-27.70%

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

$126 ¥19.8K

$2,371 A$3,412

-94.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥2.0M

$30.2K A$43.5K

-58.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 ¥7,811

$80.0 A$115

-38.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.89 ¥4,090

$50.7 A$73.0

-48.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 ¥10.6K

$121 A$174

-44.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.07 ¥7,594

$130 A$188

-63.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥76.8K

$1,759 A$2,531

-72.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ¥47.8K

$1,390 A$2,000

-78.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 ¥194.8K

$3,494 A$5,027

-64.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 ¥115.4K

$2,493 A$3,588

-70.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,329 ¥1.0M

$6,926 A$9,967

-8.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,696 ¥425.9K

$6,445 A$9,274

-58.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 ¥261.8K

$4,383 A$6,307

-62.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

5.9

-66.61%

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

Last update for Fukuoka: October 11, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Fukuoka

$318 25.3%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 20.7% $66

Accommodation & Living

Fukuoka

$303 24%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 359% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fukuoka

$265 21.1%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 19.7% $52

Eating Out

Fukuoka

$151 12%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 109% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Fukuoka

$86 6.8%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 100% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Fukuoka

$76 6%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 5.2% $3.9

Getting Around

Fukuoka

$62 4.9%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 166% $102

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Fukuoka versus $1,759 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 164% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Fukuoka versus $85.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $384 – making Fukuoka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Fukuoka

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

17:28 5:28 PM

19:28 7:28 PM

2 h ahead of Fukuoka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,612,392

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to JPY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Fukuoka Melbourne 8,080 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Fukuoka
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

Fukuoka vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,259 in Fukuoka, $2,821 in Melbourne – roughly 124% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,889 per month in Fukuoka and $4,231 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fukuoka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Fukuoka and $2,371 in Melbourne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fukuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Fukuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,259 in Fukuoka to $2,821 in Melbourne. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fukuoka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.