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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $1,663 in Ballarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $2,699 in Ballarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,734 in Ballarat.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 45% more expensive than Ballarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Ballarat 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$13.78 A$19.20

43.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$66.0 A$91.9

19.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.60 A$13.38

1.04%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.48 A$4.84

5.17%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.61 A$3.64

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.09 A$2.91

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.15 A$8.57

16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.79 A$9.47

2.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.44 A$2.01

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.49 A$3.47

6.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.57 A$2.19

49.04%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.03 A$5.62

19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$9.10 A$12.68

-3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$9.04 A$12.60

4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$14.67 A$20.44

-1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.22 A$4.49

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.81 A$3.91

-1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.84 A$3.96

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$3.87 A$5.40

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.69 A$3.74

-0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.26 A$3.15

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.00 A$1.40

63.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.17 A$43.43

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.07 A$19.61

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$2.15 A$3.00

115.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$3.01 A$4.20

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$1.66 A$2.31

110.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.3 A$91.0

83.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$2.36 A$3.28

48.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.21 A$1.69

11.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$25.03 A$34.88

7.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.11 A$1.55

7.21%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$27.6K A$38.5K

6.48%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.8K A$31.8K

3.33%

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

$150 A$209

$153 A$213

-1.99%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$21.26 A$29.63

-0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$50.5 A$70.3

-0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$32.00 A$44.59

53.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.80 A$22.02

3.61%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$10.86 A$15.13

51.29%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$329 A$458

436.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$19.5K A$27.1K

-1.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$65.1 A$90.7

4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$52.9 A$73.8

0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$87.3 A$122

21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$93.8 A$131

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$861 A$1,199

82.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$638 A$888

87.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,015 A$2,808

51.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,350 A$1,881

47.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$4,884 A$6,806

51.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$3,585 A$4,995

82.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$3,249 A$4,527

38.89%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ballarat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $861 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $66.0 in Ballarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $320 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 45% 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.

Melbourne pays 39% 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 $861 in Ballarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $329 in Ballarat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,663 in Ballarat versus $2,416 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 45% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.