Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Gili Air: $812 a month against $2,853 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gili Air
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$812
/mo nomad
Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,853
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $812 per month in Gili Air vs $2,853 in Melbourne, rent included.

  • Gili Air $812
  • Melbourne $2,853

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Gili Air vs $4,275 in Melbourne, rent included.

  • Gili Air $1,337
  • Melbourne $4,275

A family of three spends $1,861 per month in Gili Air vs $5,697 in Melbourne, rent included.

  • Gili Air $1,861
  • Melbourne $5,697

Gili Air is about 72% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gili Air sits 40% below the global median, while Melbourne is 111% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.84 Rp 33.2K
$17.20 A$24.75
-89.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.34 Rp 348.1K
$83.1 A$120
-76.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
$12.43 A$17.88
-75.95%
Cappuccino
$1.43 Rp 25.7K
$4.05 A$5.82
-64.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 Rp 15.7K
$3.12 A$4.50
-72.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 Rp 7,928
$2.46 A$3.54
-82.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 Rp 26.2K
$9.52 A$13.71
-84.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 Rp 43.9K
$8.16 A$11.74
-70.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 Rp 20.4K
$1.56 A$2.25
-27.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 Rp 28.7K
$2.90 A$4.18
-44.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$2.66 A$3.82
-69.55%
Eggs
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
$5.37 A$7.72
-72.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.29 Rp 221.3K
$10.67 A$15.36
15.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.82 Rp 50.7K
$9.85 A$14.17
-71.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.56 Rp 154.0K
$15.36 A$22.11
-44.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 Rp 44.9K
$4.17 A$6.00
-40.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.14 Rp 20.5K
$3.15 A$4.53
-63.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 Rp 30.2K
$3.26 A$4.69
-48.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 Rp 24.7K
$4.76 A$6.85
-71.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$3.06 A$4.41
-56.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 Rp 30.8K
$2.47 A$3.55
-30.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
$2.45 A$3.52
-70.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38 Rp 6,869
$1.63 A$2.34
-76.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.59 Rp 28.7K
$45.17 A$65.0
-96.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.78 Rp 284.0K
$12.68 A$18.25
24.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 Rp 30.5K
$5.69 A$8.18
-70.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 Rp 37.2K
$5.23 A$7.53
-60.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 Rp 3,182
$3.87 A$5.57
-95.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.64 Rp 119.6K
$142 A$204
-95.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 Rp 6,851
$4.54 A$6.53
-91.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 Rp 6,206
$1.42 A$2.04
-76.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.04 Rp 90.6K
$30.59 A$44.01
-83.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.71 Rp 12.8K
$1.47 A$2.11
-51.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K Rp 342.1M
$28.9K A$41.5K
-34.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K Rp 461.8M
$25.9K A$37.3K
-1.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.5 Rp 1.2M
$235 A$338
-72.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.21 Rp 93.7K
$27.45 A$39.51
-81.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.68 Rp 264.3K
$56.1 A$80.8
-73.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.16 Rp 578.8K
$50.1 A$72.1
-35.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.43 Rp 187.8K
$21.49 A$30.93
-51.47%
Cinema Ticket
$2.51 Rp 45.1K
$17.76 A$25.56
-85.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$336 Rp 6.0M
$2,385 A$3,432
-85.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,931 Rp 70.8M
$29.7K A$42.7K
-86.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.54 Rp 675.7K
$79.2 A$114
-52.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.70 Rp 516.5K
$49.49 A$71.2
-42.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.6 Rp 1.1M
$118 A$170
-46.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.0 Rp 1.1M
$132 A$190
-52.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$543 Rp 9.8M
$1,763 A$2,537
-69.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$331 Rp 6.0M
$1,411 A$2,031
-76.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,705 Rp 30.7M
$3,522 A$5,069
-51.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$807 Rp 14.5M
$2,525 A$3,634
-68.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,306 Rp 23.5M
$7,136 A$10.3K
-81.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,074 Rp 19.3M
$6,355 A$9,144
-83.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gili Air
Melbourne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,258 A$6,128
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
5.9
133.56%

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

Last update for Gili Air: 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
Gili Air
$331
Melbourne
$1.4K 326% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Gili Air
$205
Melbourne
$388 89.5% $183
Clothing & Footwear
Gili Air
$87
Melbourne
$171 96.6% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gili Air
$84
Melbourne
$319 278% $234
Eating Out
Gili Air
$58
Melbourne
$310 432% $251
Sport & Entertainment
Gili Air
$37
Melbourne
$86 130% $48
Getting Around
Gili Air
$9.5
Melbourne
$169 1689% $160

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $543 in Gili Air versus $1,763 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 $19.00 in Gili Air versus $83.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $388 – making Gili Air the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Gili Air
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🕒 Local time
21:19 9:19 PM
00:19 12:19 AM
3 h ahead of Gili Air
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,800
5,031,195
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gili Air Melbourne 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gili Air
  • 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
Gili Air vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melbourne cheaper than Gili Air?
Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 251%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,218 per month in Gili Air and $4,280 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Gili Air and in Melbourne?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $812 in Gili Air and $2,853 in Melbourne. That's a gap of about 251%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 2038% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Gili Air or in Melbourne?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $812, than in Melbourne at $2,853. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Gili Air or Melbourne more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Gili Air or Melbourne?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Gili Air. 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.

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