Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Balga Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Balga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,225 in Balga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,270 in Balga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,314 in Balga.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than Balga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Balga 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.18 A$22.55

22.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.8 A$108

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$10.32 A$14.39

-6.01%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.60 A$5.02

1.67%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.44 A$3.41

6.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.00 A$2.79

17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.67 A$10.69

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.37 A$8.88

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.46 A$2.04

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.43 A$3.39

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.03 A$2.83

15.27%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.51 A$6.29

6.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.62 A$12.01

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.53 A$11.88

10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.69 A$19.07

5.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.50 A$4.88

-4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.99 A$4.16

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.84 A$3.96

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.72 A$6.58

-16.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.43 A$3.39

10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.70 A$2.37

38.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.98 A$2.76

8.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.49 A$2.08

9.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$32.28 A$44.98

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$12.98 A$18.09

8.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.86 A$5.38

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$4.24 A$5.91

18.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.54 A$3.54

37.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.9 A$90.5

84.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.95 A$5.51

-11.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$2.16 A$3.00

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$49.42 A$68.9

-45.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.12 A$1.56

6.25%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$40.4K

1.51%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$24.4K A$33.9K

-3.23%

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

$150 A$209

$156 A$217

-3.80%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$28.26 A$39.38

-25.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$54.7 A$76.2

-8.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.52 A$67.6

1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.57 A$21.69

5.14%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$16.10 A$22.43

2.05%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,813 A$2,527

-2.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.9K A$16.5K

61.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$69.6 A$97.0

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$48.31 A$67.3

10.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$102 A$142

4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$104 A$145

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,254 A$1,748

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,048 A$1,460

14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,982 A$2,762

53.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,690 A$2,356

17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,258 A$8,721

18.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,502 A$6,274

44.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$3,402 A$4,741

32.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.42

-3.58%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Balga: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,254 in Balga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 33% 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 Balga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $335 per month, with Balga cheaper across the board.

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 Balga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Balga differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,225 including rent). Balga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 33% 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 $1,254 in Balga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Balga – 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.

All in, you'll spend $2,416 per month in Melbourne versus $2,225 in Balga – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,225 in Balga versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Balga but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Balga 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 Balga 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 Balga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.