Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ashkelon Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ashkelon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $2,430 in Ashkelon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $3,624 in Ashkelon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $4,819 in Ashkelon.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 19% more expensive than in Ashkelon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Ashkelon 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$25.05

$23.62 ₪71.4

-24.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$82.3 ₪249

2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.10

$18.53 ₪56.1

-33.84%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.90

$4.71 ₪14.25

-10.40%

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

$3.16 A$4.40

$3.41 ₪10.31

-7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.85 ₪8.63

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.93

$12.20 ₪36.91

-18.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.32

$7.63 ₪23.08

15.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.30

$2.44 ₪7.37

-32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.75

$2.74 ₪8.29

24.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.89

$3.10 ₪9.39

-10.00%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.94

$4.85 ₪14.66

17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.77

$21.97 ₪66.5

-48.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$13.04 ₪39.44

-25.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$22.02

$25.59 ₪77.4

-38.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.85

$4.25 ₪12.85

-1.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$3.42 ₪10.33

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.57

$2.39 ₪7.23

36.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.72

$3.32 ₪10.03

44.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.55

$1.70 ₪5.14

91.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$1.94 ₪5.88

34.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.51

$2.74 ₪8.27

-8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.29

$0.98 ₪2.95

67.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.3

$14.06 ₪42.54

227.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.83

$11.88 ₪35.94

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.65

$2.68 ₪8.12

104.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.19

$1.96 ₪5.93

162.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.34

$2.59 ₪7.84

47.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

$47.28 ₪143

205.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$6.02

$11.50 ₪34.79

-62.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.05

$1.69 ₪5.12

-13.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.29

$39.46 ₪119

-21.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$2.65 ₪8.01

-44.91%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

$58.7K ₪177.4K

-49.66%

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

$27.7K A$38.7K

$57.3K ₪173.3K

-51.59%

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

$242 A$338

$218 ₪660

10.92%

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

$28.20 A$39.35

$12.15 ₪36.75

132.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.8

$43.38 ₪131

31.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.4

$48.29 ₪146

16.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.29

$33.82 ₪102

-35.81%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.96

$16.55 ₪50.1

8.10%

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

$2,443 A$3,410

$1,249 ₪3,777

95.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$115

$110 ₪333

-25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.4

$77.7 ₪235

-35.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$116 ₪351

8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$193

$149 ₪449

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,475

$1,187 ₪3,589

49.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,992

$1,000 ₪3,026

42.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,889

$1,863 ₪5,634

88.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,512

$1,528 ₪4,622

64.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

$6,086 ₪18.4K

21.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,375

$5,589 ₪16.9K

20.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,249

$3,019 ₪9,131

48.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

4.98

17.47%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ashkelon: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $1,187 in Ashkelon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 48% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $82.0 in Ashkelon. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $432, 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 Ashkelon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashkelon wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ashkelon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $1,774 in Melbourne versus $1,187 in Ashkelon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashkelon – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,894 per month in Melbourne versus $2,430 in Ashkelon – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Ashkelon 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 Ashkelon 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 Ashkelon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.