Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroochydore and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroochydore and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,368 per month in Maroochydore vs $2,416 in Melbourne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,394 per month in Maroochydore vs $3,579 in Melbourne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,420 per month in Maroochydore vs $4,742 in Melbourne, rent included.

Maroochydore is about 2% cheaper than Melbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maroochydore and Melbourne sit above the global median – Maroochydore by 77%, Melbourne by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 A$19.24

$19.75 A$28.03

-31.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.0 A$136

$78.7 A$112

22.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 A$12.09

$9.70 A$13.77

-12.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 A$4.90

$3.66 A$5.20

-5.74%

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

$2.48 A$3.51

$2.60 A$3.69

-4.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 A$2.37

$2.34 A$3.33

-28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 A$5.42

$7.17 A$10.18

-46.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 A$10.05

$6.99 A$9.91

1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.12

$1.45 A$2.06

2.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.72

$2.66 A$3.78

-1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.31

$2.34 A$3.32

-0.43%

Eggs

$4.37 A$6.20

$4.80 A$6.82

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 A$9.01

$8.77 A$12.44

-27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 A$9.92

$9.44 A$13.39

-25.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 A$11.52

$14.42 A$20.47

-43.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 A$5.08

$3.33 A$4.73

7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 A$3.65

$2.77 A$3.94

-7.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.55

$3.00 A$4.26

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 A$5.13

$3.95 A$5.60

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 A$3.05

$2.68 A$3.80

-19.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 A$2.87

$2.36 A$3.34

-14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 A$2.71

$2.14 A$3.03

-10.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 A$3.38

$1.63 A$2.31

46.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.57 A$32.03

$32.44 A$46.05

-30.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 A$15.42

$14.11 A$20.02

-23.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.52 A$7.84

$4.64 A$6.59

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.78

$5.04 A$7.15

8.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 A$2.02

$3.49 A$4.96

-59.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$91.0

$120 A$170

-46.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 A$2.64

$3.50 A$4.97

-46.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 A$1.95

$1.35 A$1.91

1.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.08 A$48.37

$26.94 A$38.24

26.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.67

$1.19 A$1.69

-0.84%

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

$27.7K A$39.3K

$29.4K A$41.8K

-5.90%

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

$21.9K A$31.1K

$23.6K A$33.5K

-7.08%

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

$223 A$317

$150 A$213

48.75%

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

$29.72 A$42.19

$21.16 A$30.03

40.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 A$78.3

$50.3 A$71.4

9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.85 A$55.1

$49.14 A$69.8

-20.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.44 A$21.91

$16.37 A$23.24

-5.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.34 A$17.52

$16.43 A$23.33

-24.89%

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

$2,171 A$3,081

$1,764 A$2,503

23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,203 A$10.2K

$19.2K A$27.2K

-62.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 A$88.6

$68.3 A$96.9

-8.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.62 A$67.6

$53.3 A$75.6

-10.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 A$125

$106 A$151

-17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 A$178

$105 A$148

20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 A$1,747

$1,572 A$2,232

-21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 A$1,767

$1,195 A$1,696

4.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 A$2,700

$3,048 A$4,326

-37.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 A$2,680

$1,990 A$2,824

-5.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,291 A$8,930

$7,387 A$10.5K

-14.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,303 A$8,946

$6,527 A$9,265

-3.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,814 A$3,994

$4,512 A$6,405

-37.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.19

5.65%

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

Last update for Maroochydore: May 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,231 in Maroochydore versus $1,572 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 60% 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 $96.0 in Maroochydore versus $79.0 in Melbourne. Groceries tell a different story – $315 in Maroochydore vs $354 in Melbourne – so Maroochydore 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

Maroochydore vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,368 in Maroochydore, $2,416 in Melbourne – roughly 2% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,552 per month in Maroochydore and $3,624 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 87% less in Maroochydore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,171 per month in Maroochydore and $1,764 in Melbourne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Maroochydore, where all-in costs run around $2,368, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Maroochydore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maroochydore – 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 Maroochydore. 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.