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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $1,824 in Alice Springs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $2,629 in Alice Springs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,433 in Alice Springs.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 32% more expensive than Alice Springs, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Alice Springs 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$12.83 A$17.87

53.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.3 A$109

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.61 A$13.39

0.94%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.76 A$5.23

-2.66%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.52 A$3.51

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.59 A$3.60

-9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.07 A$8.45

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$9.27 A$12.92

-24.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.39 A$1.93

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.16 A$3.00

23.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.96 A$2.73

19.39%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.71 A$6.56

1.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.56 A$11.92

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$12.46 A$17.37

-24.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.42 A$18.70

7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.48 A$4.84

-4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$4.12 A$5.75

-32.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$4.00 A$5.58

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$7.27 A$10.14

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$3.27 A$4.55

-18.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.39 A$3.33

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.11 A$2.93

1.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.69 A$2.35

-3.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$17.29 A$24.10

87.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$15.93 A$22.20

-11.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.13 A$4.36

48.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.36 A$7.47

-5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$1.62 A$2.25

115.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.9 A$90.4

84.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.38 A$4.72

3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.23 A$1.71

9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$35.57 A$49.56

-24.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.31 A$1.82

-9.16%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.9K A$41.7K

-1.69%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$20.9K A$29.2K

12.67%

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

$150 A$209

$196 A$272

-23.30%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.29 A$38.02

-22.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$65.5 A$91.3

-23.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$65.2 A$90.8

-24.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$16.28 A$22.68

0.55%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.21 A$18.40

24.38%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,354 A$1,887

30.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$2,798 A$3,899

585.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$72.5 A$101

-5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$11.23 A$15.65

374.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$140 A$195

-23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$106 A$148

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$619 A$862

154.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$573 A$799

108.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,481 A$2,063

105.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$631 A$879

215.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$4,661 A$6,495

58.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,928 A$6,867

32.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,508 A$6,282

0.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alice Springs: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $619 in Alice Springs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 0% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Alice Springs. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $386, with Melbourne 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 32% 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.

Melbourne pays 0% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $619 in Alice Springs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Alice Springs – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,824 in Alice Springs versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alice Springs but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Alice Springs 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 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 32% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.