Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Geelong and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,411 in Geelong versus $2,420 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,150 in Geelong versus $3,592 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,890 in Geelong versus $4,765 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs are close between Geelong and Melbourne; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Geelong 80% above, Melbourne 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 A$24.01

$19.36 A$27.71

-13.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$113

$77.5 A$111

1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 A$13.95

$9.85 A$14.10

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.39 A$4.85

$3.73 A$5.33

-9.12%

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

$2.62 A$3.76

$2.62 A$3.75

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 A$2.98

$2.28 A$3.27

-8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 A$9.11

$7.36 A$10.53

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 A$7.04

$6.94 A$9.93

-29.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.50 A$2.14

-2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 A$3.10

$2.58 A$3.69

-15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 A$1.36

$2.34 A$3.35

-59.40%

Eggs

$2.88 A$4.12

$4.85 A$6.95

-40.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 A$11.08

$8.72 A$12.49

-11.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 A$13.55

$9.26 A$13.26

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 A$21.03

$14.58 A$20.88

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 A$4.12

$3.32 A$4.75

-13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.96

$2.81 A$4.03

-1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$3.00 A$4.30

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 A$3.14

$3.98 A$5.70

-44.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.67 A$3.82

-6.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 A$2.91

$2.23 A$3.20

-8.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 A$2.31

$2.19 A$3.14

-26.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.33

$1.64 A$2.35

-0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.58 A$43.79

$31.95 A$45.74

-4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 A$19.54

$13.92 A$19.93

-1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 A$4.83

$4.67 A$6.69

-27.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 A$4.14

$5.04 A$7.21

-42.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.82 A$9.76

$3.50 A$5.01

94.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 A$171

$121 A$173

-1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 A$5.15

$3.56 A$5.10

1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 A$39.48

$27.50 A$39.37

0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.15 A$1.64

2.61%

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

$28.5K A$40.8K

$29.2K A$41.8K

-2.24%

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

$23.3K A$33.4K

$23.0K A$32.9K

1.70%

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

$140 A$200

$154 A$220

-9.29%

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

$20.86 A$29.87

$20.93 A$29.97

-0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.0 A$71.6

$51.4 A$73.7

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 A$75.3

$48.89 A$70.0

7.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 A$20.88

$16.24 A$23.25

-10.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 A$16.97

$15.97 A$22.87

-25.80%

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

$1,762 A$2,522

$1,765 A$2,527

-0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K A$28.2K

$19.5K A$27.9K

0.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 A$99.3

$67.0 A$96.0

3.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 A$63.8

$54.5 A$78.0

-18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$144

$106 A$151

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 A$127

$104 A$148

-14.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 A$2,055

$1,575 A$2,255

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 A$1,738

$1,206 A$1,726

0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 A$1,777

$3,041 A$4,354

-59.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 A$1,696

$2,022 A$2,895

-41.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,440 A$9,221

$7,077 A$10.1K

-8.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,175 A$7,409

$6,420 A$9,192

-19.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,105 A$4,445

$4,398 A$6,297

-29.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

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

Last update for Geelong: July 13, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,435 in Geelong and $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 42% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79.0 in Geelong vs $77.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $353, with Geelong 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

Geelong vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $1,435 in Geelong versus $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Geelong runs roughly 1% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Geelong is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Geelong 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.

It comes down to priorities – Geelong wins on affordability, Melbourne on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.