Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Albury Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Albury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,821 in Albury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $2,744 in Albury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,668 in Albury.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 33% more expensive than in Albury, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Albury 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.71

$16.16 A$23.13

19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$88.1 A$126

-12.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.10

$9.51 A$13.61

3.58%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.33

$3.36 A$4.82

11.01%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.30 A$3.29

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.53

$6.65 A$9.52

10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.93

$6.65 A$9.52

4.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.36 A$1.95

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.62 A$3.75

-1.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.85 A$2.65

26.49%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.10 A$5.87

18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.49

$7.82 A$11.19

11.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$9.28 A$13.28

-0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.88

$11.49 A$16.45

26.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.01 A$4.31

10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.95 A$4.23

-4.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.07 A$4.39

-2.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$4.70 A$6.73

-15.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.34 A$3.35

14.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$1.93 A$2.76

15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.21 A$3.16

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.27 A$1.82

29.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.74

$22.97 A$32.88

39.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.93

$14.12 A$20.21

-1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.04 A$5.79

15.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.21

$5.38 A$7.70

-6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.01

$2.55 A$3.65

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$66.7 A$95.5

80.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.16 A$4.53

12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.70 A$2.43

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.37

$38.47 A$55.1

-28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.18 A$1.69

-2.54%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.3K A$42.0K

-0.53%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$23.3K A$33.3K

-1.37%

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

$154 A$220

$225 A$322

-31.63%

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

$20.93 A$29.97

$30.19 A$43.22

-30.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$52.8 A$75.5

-2.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$48.79 A$69.9

0.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.25

$15.65 A$22.40

3.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.87

$12.26 A$17.56

30.26%

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

$1,765 A$2,527

$1,743 A$2,496

1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.9K

$13.5K A$19.3K

44.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.0

$61.4 A$87.9

9.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$38.24 A$54.8

42.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$90.0 A$129

17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$101 A$144

2.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,255

$814 A$1,166

93.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,726

$625 A$895

93.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,354

$1,339 A$1,917

127.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,895

$983 A$1,407

105.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,192

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,297

$3,560 A$5,097

23.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.29

-1.59%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Albury: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $814 in Albury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $88.0 in Albury. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $331, with Albury cheaper for home cooking.

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

Melbourne vs Albury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albury wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Albury the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Melbourne, 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $814 in Albury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albury – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,821 in Albury versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albury but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Albury 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, Melbourne and Albury 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 Albury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.