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: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $1,926 in Ballarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $3,081 in Ballarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $4,235 in Ballarat.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 50% more expensive than in Ballarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Ballarat 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$25.11

$17.68 A$24.74

1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$72.7 A$102

16.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.14

$10.73 A$15.01

14.26%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.91

$3.83 A$5.36

10.18%

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

$3.16 A$4.42

$3.10 A$4.33

1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.73

$2.01 A$2.81

32.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.97

$6.24 A$8.73

59.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.35

$6.55 A$9.16

34.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.31

$1.71 A$2.39

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.76

$2.86 A$4.00

18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.90

$2.41 A$3.37

15.77%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.95

$4.36 A$6.10

30.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.81

$11.57 A$16.19

-2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.52

$9.48 A$13.27

2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$22.07

$15.78 A$22.08

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.86

$3.68 A$5.15

13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.22

$3.16 A$4.42

-4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.58

$3.19 A$4.46

2.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.73

$4.82 A$6.74

-0.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.56

$3.30 A$4.62

-1.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.64

$2.63 A$3.68

-1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.52

$2.41 A$3.37

4.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.30

$1.52 A$2.13

7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.5

$35.19 A$49.22

31.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.87

$12.09 A$16.91

-0.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.66

$2.35 A$3.29

133.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.20

$3.21 A$4.49

60.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.35

$2.76 A$3.86

38.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

$73.0 A$102

97.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$6.03

$2.65 A$3.71

62.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.06

$1.40 A$1.96

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.39

$27.81 A$38.90

11.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.24 A$1.74

17.74%

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

$29.5K A$41.3K

$29.1K A$40.7K

1.47%

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

$27.7K A$38.8K

$25.8K A$36.1K

7.35%

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

$242 A$339

$216 A$302

12.20%

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

$28.20 A$39.44

$27.96 A$39.11

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$80.0

$57.7 A$80.8

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.6

$32.61 A$45.62

72.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.37

$11.33 A$15.85

91.62%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$25.02

$15.86 A$22.19

12.80%

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

$2,443 A$3,418

$2,207 A$3,087

10.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.2K

$33.2K A$46.4K

-0.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$115

$72.2 A$101

13.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.5

$52.1 A$72.9

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$104 A$145

21.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$193

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,481

$936 A$1,309

89.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,997

$689 A$963

107.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,901

$1,289 A$1,803

171.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,520

$1,527 A$2,135

64.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.4K

$4,901 A$6,855

51.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,397

$3,601 A$5,037

86.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,264

$3,339 A$4,671

34.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.55

5.41%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $936 in Ballarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 34% 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 $73.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $362 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 50% 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 34% 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 $936 in Ballarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,443 in Melbourne versus $2,207 in Ballarat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,926 in Ballarat versus $2,894 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 50% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.