Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ballarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ballarat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,676 in Ballarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $2,749 in Ballarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,823 in Ballarat.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 44% more expensive than in Ballarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Ballarat 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.71

$14.18 A$20.29

36.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$64.2 A$92.0

20.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.10

$9.73 A$13.94

1.23%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.33

$3.55 A$5.09

5.07%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.53 A$3.62

3.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.02 A$2.89

12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.53

$6.03 A$8.63

22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.93

$7.01 A$10.03

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.46 A$2.09

2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.57 A$3.68

0.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.54 A$2.21

51.95%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.27 A$6.12

13.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.49

$8.82 A$12.62

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$9.47 A$13.56

-2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.88

$14.55 A$20.83

0.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.26 A$4.67

1.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.89 A$4.13

3.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.88 A$5.56

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.69 A$3.85

-0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.33 A$3.33

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.19 A$3.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.04 A$1.49

57.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.74

$31.14 A$44.58

2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.93

$13.93 A$19.95

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$2.14 A$3.07

118.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.21

$2.90 A$4.15

73.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.01

$1.71 A$2.45

104.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$64.6 A$92.6

86.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$2.32 A$3.33

53.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.15 A$1.65

21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.37

$24.91 A$35.67

10.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.14 A$1.64

0.88%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$27.8K A$39.8K

4.97%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$23.1K A$33.1K

-0.85%

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

$154 A$220

$153 A$219

0.73%

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

$20.93 A$29.97

$20.80 A$29.78

0.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$50.2 A$71.8

2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$32.31 A$46.26

51.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.25

$15.46 A$22.14

5.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.87

$11.21 A$16.05

42.46%

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

$1,765 A$2,527

$321 A$460

449.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.9K

$19.0K A$27.2K

2.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.0

$65.8 A$94.2

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$53.1 A$76.0

2.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$86.0 A$123

22.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$90.8 A$130

14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,255

$860 A$1,231

83.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,726

$632 A$904

90.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,354

$2,055 A$2,943

47.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,895

$1,339 A$1,918

50.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$4,630 A$6,629

52.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,192

$3,407 A$4,877

88.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,297

$3,172 A$4,542

38.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.07

1.98%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $860 in Ballarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 39% 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 $64.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $323 per month, with Ballarat 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 Ballarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballarat wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ballarat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% 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 $860 in Ballarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $321 in Ballarat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,676 in Ballarat versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ballarat but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Ballarat 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 Ballarat 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 Ballarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.