Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Alice Springs Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Alice Springs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $1,855 in Alice Springs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $2,817 in Alice Springs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $3,779 in Alice Springs.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 56% more expensive than in Alice Springs, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Alice Springs 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$24.91

$17.99 A$24.97

-0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$117

$87.4 A$121

-3.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.01

$11.29 A$15.67

8.59%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.86

$4.21 A$5.85

0.24%

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

$3.16 A$4.38

$2.96 A$4.11

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.70

$2.89 A$4.01

-7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.86

$6.60 A$9.16

51.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.25

$10.12 A$14.05

-12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.29

$1.50 A$2.08

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.73

$2.16 A$3.00

57.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.87

$1.86 A$2.58

50.00%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.89

$5.41 A$7.50

5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.69

$8.55 A$11.87

32.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.42

$8.66 A$12.02

11.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$21.90

$15.48 A$21.48

1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.82

$3.99 A$5.53

5.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.19

$3.03 A$4.21

-0.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.54

$2.68 A$3.72

22.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.68

$7.22 A$10.03

-33.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.52

$2.57 A$3.56

26.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.61

$2.37 A$3.29

9.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.49

$6.15 A$8.53

-59.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.28

$2.40 A$3.33

-31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.0

$28.97 A$40.21

59.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.74

$14.47 A$20.08

-16.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.60

$3.48 A$4.82

57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.15

$5.85 A$8.12

-11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.31

$3.04 A$4.22

25.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$201

$89.9 A$125

60.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$5.98

$5.20 A$7.21

-17.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.04

$1.61 A$2.24

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.05

$28.50 A$39.56

8.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.34 A$1.86

8.96%

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

$29.5K A$41.0K

$38.3K A$53.1K

-22.84%

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

$27.7K A$38.5K

$24.5K A$34.0K

13.27%

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

$242 A$336

$218 A$303

11.04%

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

$28.20 A$39.14

$28.16 A$39.08

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.4

$47.70 A$66.2

19.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.0

$57.3 A$79.5

-1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.13

$18.49 A$25.66

17.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.83

$14.20 A$19.71

25.99%

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

$2,443 A$3,391

$1,968 A$2,732

24.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$45.8K

$21.1K A$29.2K

56.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$114

$74.0 A$103

10.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.0

$12.71 A$17.65

296.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$175

$140 A$194

-9.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$192

$129 A$178

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,462

$1,436 A$1,994

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,981

$535 A$743

166.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,863

$1,302 A$1,807

169.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,493

$788 A$1,093

219.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

$4,619 A$6,410

60.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,324

$4,811 A$6,677

39.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,215

$4,555 A$6,321

-1.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Alice Springs: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $1,436 in Alice Springs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alice Springs pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $87.0 in Alice Springs. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $390, with Alice Springs 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 Alice Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alice Springs wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alice Springs the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Alice Springs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,774 in Melbourne versus $1,436 in Alice Springs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Alice Springs – a meal for two runs $87.0 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Alice Springs is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Alice Springs 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 Alice Springs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.