Cost of Living Comparison Between Mansfield and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Mansfield and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,264 in Mansfield versus $2,482 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,279 in Mansfield versus $3,689 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,293 in Mansfield versus $4,896 in Melbourne.

Living in Mansfield costs roughly 9% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mansfield 69% above, Melbourne 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 A$22.88

$19.24 A$26.94

-15.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 A$107

$78.5 A$110

-2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 A$14.00

$9.58 A$13.41

4.38%

Cappuccino

$3.38 A$4.73

$3.63 A$5.09

-6.89%

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

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.51 A$3.52

1.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 A$2.99

$2.39 A$3.34

-10.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 A$8.99

$7.11 A$9.96

-9.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 A$9.88

$7.23 A$10.12

-2.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.51 A$2.11

-4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 A$3.23

$2.62 A$3.66

-11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.75

$2.34 A$3.28

-15.81%

Eggs

$4.24 A$5.94

$4.67 A$6.54

-9.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 A$11.95

$8.86 A$12.40

-3.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 A$12.03

$9.34 A$13.08

-8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 A$18.77

$14.80 A$20.73

-9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.65

$3.30 A$4.63

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.87 A$4.02

-3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.18

$2.95 A$4.12

1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.80

$4.05 A$5.67

2.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.68 A$3.75

-5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 A$3.07

$2.33 A$3.26

-6.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 A$2.91

$2.22 A$3.11

-6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 A$2.23

$1.63 A$2.28

-2.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.32 A$43.85

$33.09 A$46.32

-5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 A$19.77

$14.28 A$19.99

-1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.23

$4.67 A$6.54

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 A$7.38

$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)

$66.0 A$92.4

$121 A$169

-45.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 A$4.88

$3.50 A$4.91

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.26

$1.38 A$1.93

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.64 A$47.09

$27.53 A$38.55

22.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.17 A$1.64

1.71%

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

$28.8K A$40.3K

$29.4K A$41.2K

-2.11%

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

$22.6K A$31.6K

$23.7K A$33.2K

-4.93%

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

$186 A$260

$153 A$214

21.19%

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

$27.47 A$38.46

$21.03 A$29.44

30.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 A$74.4

$50.2 A$70.3

5.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 A$69.1

$50.0 A$70.0

-1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 A$22.24

$16.24 A$22.74

-2.16%

Cinema Ticket

$12.89 A$18.05

$16.14 A$22.60

-20.14%

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

$1,642 A$2,299

$1,768 A$2,476

-7.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K A$16.8K

$19.2K A$26.8K

-37.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 A$96.7

$68.4 A$95.8

1.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$71.6

$52.8 A$73.9

-3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$140

$107 A$150

-7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$149

$105 A$147

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 A$1,794

$1,560 A$2,184

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 A$1,482

$1,213 A$1,699

-12.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 A$2,861

$3,010 A$4,213

-32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 A$2,386

$1,984 A$2,778

-14.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,357 A$8,900

$7,460 A$10.4K

-14.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,551 A$6,371

$6,569 A$9,197

-30.73%

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 Mansfield: April 22, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Mansfield and $1,560 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77 in Mansfield vs $78 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $356 per month, with Mansfield 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

Mansfield vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mansfield and Melbourne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,264 vs $2,482 including rent). Mansfield is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,396 in Mansfield and $3,723 in Melbourne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,282 in Mansfield versus $1,560 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mansfield runs roughly 83% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,642 in Mansfield versus $1,768 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,264 in Mansfield versus $2,482 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mansfield but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Mansfield 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, Mansfield 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 Mansfield gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.