Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manukau and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Manukau: $1,753 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Manukau
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Manukau Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Manukau

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$1,753

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,753 per month in Manukau vs $2,821 in Melbourne, rent included.

Manukau $1,753
Melbourne $2,821

A couple spends around $2,707 per month in Manukau vs $4,235 in Melbourne, rent included.

Manukau $2,707
Melbourne $4,235

A family of three spends $3,661 per month in Manukau vs $5,650 in Melbourne, rent included.

Manukau $3,661
Melbourne $5,650

Manukau is about 38% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manukau and Melbourne sit above the global median – Manukau by 30%, Melbourne by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.90 NZ$21.04

$17.43 A$25.08

-31.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 NZ$119

$84.6 A$122

-20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 NZ$14.77

$12.46 A$17.92

-32.99%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$6.00

$4.11 A$5.91

-17.52%

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

$2.00 NZ$3.54

$3.06 A$4.40

-34.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.07

$2.52 A$3.62

-30.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 NZ$10.80

$9.80 A$14.10

-37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 NZ$9.83

$8.57 A$12.33

-35.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 NZ$2.50

$1.48 A$2.14

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 NZ$2.28

$2.94 A$4.23

-56.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.18

$2.66 A$3.82

-32.33%

Eggs

$5.19 NZ$9.18

$5.54 A$7.97

-6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.64 NZ$9.97

$10.51 A$15.13

-46.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 NZ$12.79

$9.65 A$13.89

-25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 NZ$20.63

$15.22 A$21.91

-23.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.52

$3.99 A$5.75

-35.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.61

$3.02 A$4.34

-32.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 NZ$5.16

$3.10 A$4.46

-5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 NZ$9.99

$4.82 A$6.93

17.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.45

$3.03 A$4.36

-35.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 NZ$2.42

$2.44 A$3.52

-43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NZ$3.51

$2.46 A$3.54

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.60

$1.63 A$2.34

-44.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.28 NZ$44.71

$44.07 A$63.4

-42.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 NZ$17.91

$12.70 A$18.28

-20.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 NZ$5.00

$5.54 A$7.97

-48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 NZ$5.89

$5.23 A$7.52

-36.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 NZ$3.14

$3.74 A$5.38

-52.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.2 NZ$161

$138 A$198

-33.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 NZ$4.04

$4.51 A$6.50

-49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.50

$1.36 A$1.96

45.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.55 NZ$55.8

$30.45 A$43.81

3.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$3.01

$1.47 A$2.12

15.65%

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

$24.8K NZ$43.8K

$29.0K A$41.7K

-14.52%

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

$22.3K NZ$39.4K

$26.5K A$38.1K

-15.85%

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

$56.2 NZ$99.3

$234 A$336

-75.97%

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

$26.35 NZ$46.60

$27.93 A$40.19

-5.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.91 NZ$88.3

$55.7 A$80.2

-10.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.03 NZ$67.3

$49.40 A$71.1

-23.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 NZ$22.65

$15.09 A$21.72

-15.11%

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

$675 NZ$1,194

$2,371 A$3,412

-71.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K NZ$34.8K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-34.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 NZ$109

$80.0 A$115

-22.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 NZ$65.5

$50.7 A$73.0

-26.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 NZ$165

$121 A$174

-22.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$194

$130 A$188

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 NZ$1,690

$1,759 A$2,531

-45.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 NZ$1,444

$1,390 A$2,000

-41.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NZ$2,821

$3,494 A$5,027

-54.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 NZ$2,552

$2,493 A$3,588

-42.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,910 NZ$8,683

$6,926 A$9,967

-29.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,309 NZ$5,852

$6,445 A$9,274

-48.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,744 NZ$3,085

$4,383 A$6,307

-60.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Manukau: October 11, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manukau

$817 46.6%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 70.2% $573

Groceries & Markets

Manukau

$276 15.8%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 38.9% $108

Eating Out

Manukau

$218 12.4%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 44.6% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Manukau

$136 7.8%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 26.4% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manukau

$132 7.6%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 140% $185

Getting Around

Manukau

$110 6.3%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 48.3% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Manukau

$64 3.6%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 25% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Manukau versus $1,759 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 151% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Manukau versus $85.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $384 – making Manukau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Manukau

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

07:10 7:10 AM

2 h behind Manukau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

362,000

5,031,195

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manukau Melbourne 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Manukau
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

Manukau vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,753 in Manukau, $2,821 in Melbourne – roughly 61% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,629 per month in Manukau and $4,231 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 39% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Manukau and $85.0 in Melbourne. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Manukau, where all-in costs run around $1,753, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Manukau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manukau – 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 Manukau. 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.