Cost of Living Comparison Between Karratha and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Karratha and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,346 per month in Karratha vs $2,482 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,405 per month in Karratha vs $3,689 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,464 per month in Karratha vs $4,896 in Melbourne, rent included.

Karratha is about 5% cheaper than Melbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karratha and Melbourne sit above the global median – Karratha by 75%, Melbourne by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.30 A$38.22

$19.24 A$26.94

41.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 A$111

$78.5 A$110

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 A$12.68

$9.58 A$13.41

-5.43%

Cappuccino

$3.65 A$5.12

$3.63 A$5.09

0.55%

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

$3.13 A$4.39

$2.51 A$3.52

24.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 A$3.10

$2.39 A$3.34

-7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 A$8.98

$7.11 A$9.96

-9.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 A$10.00

$7.23 A$10.12

-1.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.08

$1.51 A$2.11

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 A$3.36

$2.62 A$3.66

-8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.81

$2.34 A$3.28

-14.10%

Eggs

$4.27 A$5.98

$4.67 A$6.54

-8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 A$11.88

$8.86 A$12.40

-4.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 A$11.61

$9.34 A$13.08

-11.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 A$18.81

$14.80 A$20.73

-9.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.59

$3.30 A$4.63

-0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.87 A$4.02

-0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.22

$2.95 A$4.12

2.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 A$5.74

$4.05 A$5.67

1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.42

$2.68 A$3.75

-8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.96

$2.33 A$3.26

-9.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 A$2.94

$2.22 A$3.11

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 A$2.16

$1.63 A$2.28

-5.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.97 A$43.36

$33.09 A$46.32

-6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.47 A$20.26

$14.28 A$19.99

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.47 A$6.26

$4.67 A$6.54

-4.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 A$7.43

$5.29 A$7.40

0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 A$3.72

$3.51 A$4.91

-24.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 A$91.3

$121 A$169

-46.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$4.88

$3.50 A$4.91

-0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 A$2.15

$1.38 A$1.93

10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.11 A$46.35

$27.53 A$38.55

20.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.58

$1.17 A$1.64

-3.42%

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

$28.6K A$40.1K

$29.4K A$41.2K

-2.70%

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

$22.8K A$32.0K

$23.7K A$33.2K

-3.79%

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

$186 A$260

$153 A$214

21.49%

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

$27.63 A$38.68

$21.03 A$29.44

31.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$72.6

$50.2 A$70.3

3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.66 A$69.5

$50.0 A$70.0

-0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 A$22.09

$16.24 A$22.74

-2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.80 A$17.92

$16.14 A$22.60

-20.69%

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

$1,632 A$2,285

$1,768 A$2,476

-7.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.6K

$19.2K A$26.8K

-37.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$93.9

$68.4 A$95.8

-1.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 A$70.4

$52.8 A$73.9

-4.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 A$138

$107 A$150

-7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 A$1,782

$1,560 A$2,184

-18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 A$1,491

$1,213 A$1,699

-12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 A$2,852

$3,010 A$4,213

-32.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 A$2,324

$1,984 A$2,778

-16.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,335 A$7,468

$7,460 A$10.4K

-28.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,722 A$6,611

$6,569 A$9,197

-28.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,305 A$6,027

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 Karratha: April 21, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,273 in Karratha versus $1,560 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 $79 in Karratha versus $78 in Melbourne. Groceries tell a different story – $338 in Karratha vs $356 in Melbourne – so Karratha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Karratha vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,346 in Karratha, $2,482 in Melbourne – roughly 6% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,519 per month in Karratha and $3,723 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,346 in Karratha and $2,482 in Melbourne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Karratha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Karratha, where all-in costs run around $2,346, than in Melbourne at $2,482. In Karratha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karratha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Karratha. 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.