Cost of Living Comparison Between Gladstone and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Gladstone and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,281 in Gladstone versus $2,482 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,177 in Gladstone versus $3,689 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,073 in Gladstone versus $4,896 in Melbourne.

Living in Gladstone costs roughly 8% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gladstone 70% above, Melbourne 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.15 A$22.61

$19.24 A$26.94

-16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 A$109

$78.5 A$110

-0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.51

$9.58 A$13.41

0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.37 A$4.71

$3.63 A$5.09

-7.16%

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

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.51 A$3.52

-0.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 A$2.93

$2.39 A$3.34

-12.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 A$9.36

$7.11 A$9.96

-5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.72

$7.23 A$10.12

-4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.09

$1.51 A$2.11

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 A$3.31

$2.62 A$3.66

-9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 A$2.73

$2.34 A$3.28

-16.67%

Eggs

$4.28 A$6.00

$4.67 A$6.54

-8.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 A$12.12

$8.86 A$12.40

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 A$12.07

$9.34 A$13.08

-7.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 A$19.18

$14.80 A$20.73

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 A$4.61

$3.30 A$4.63

-0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 A$3.84

$2.87 A$4.02

-4.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.07

$2.95 A$4.12

-1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 A$5.63

$4.05 A$5.67

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.54

$2.68 A$3.75

-5.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 A$2.98

$2.33 A$3.26

-8.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 A$2.92

$2.22 A$3.11

-6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.13

$1.63 A$2.28

-6.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.21 A$43.69

$33.09 A$46.32

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 A$20.00

$14.28 A$19.99

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.53 A$6.34

$4.67 A$6.54

-3.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 A$7.61

$5.29 A$7.40

2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.57

$3.51 A$4.91

-27.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 A$91.9

$121 A$169

-45.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 A$5.05

$3.50 A$4.91

3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.25

$1.38 A$1.93

15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.03 A$47.65

$27.53 A$38.55

23.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.65

$1.17 A$1.64

0.85%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

$29.4K A$41.2K

-0.43%

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

$22.3K A$31.2K

$23.7K A$33.2K

-6.13%

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

$183 A$256

$153 A$214

19.31%

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

$25.86 A$36.20

$21.03 A$29.44

22.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$71.9

$50.2 A$70.3

2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.07 A$67.3

$50.0 A$70.0

-3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 A$22.04

$16.24 A$22.74

-3.08%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 A$17.71

$16.14 A$22.60

-21.62%

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

$1,620 A$2,268

$1,768 A$2,476

-8.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$19.2K A$26.8K

-37.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 A$94.3

$68.4 A$95.8

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.6

$52.8 A$73.9

-4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 A$138

$107 A$150

-7.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$153

$105 A$147

4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 A$1,788

$1,560 A$2,184

-18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 A$1,486

$1,213 A$1,699

-12.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 A$1,741

$3,010 A$4,213

-58.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 A$1,949

$1,984 A$2,778

-29.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,586 A$7,820

$7,460 A$10.4K

-25.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,830 A$8,162

$6,569 A$9,197

-11.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,669 A$7,937

$4,305 A$6,027

31.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

6.19

2.42%

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

Last update for Gladstone: April 20, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,277 in Gladstone and $1,560 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gladstone pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78 in Gladstone vs $78 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $356 per month, with Gladstone cheaper across the board.

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

Gladstone vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gladstone wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gladstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Gladstone pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,277 in Gladstone versus $1,560 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,281 per month in Gladstone versus $2,482 in Melbourne – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gladstone runs roughly 84% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,281 in Gladstone versus $2,482 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gladstone but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Gladstone 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, Gladstone 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 Gladstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.