Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bardwell Park, NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bardwell Park, NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,247 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,261 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,275 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 8% more expensive than in Bardwell Park, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Bardwell Park, NSW 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$16.48 A$23.61

17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$78.5 A$112

-1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$10.00 A$14.33

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.36 A$4.82

11.01%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.09 A$2.99

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.46 A$9.25

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.05 A$10.10

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.43 A$3.48

6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.96 A$2.81

19.39%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.28 A$6.13

13.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.56 A$12.27

1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.35 A$11.97

10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$13.63 A$19.53

6.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.34 A$4.79

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.83 A$4.06

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.86 A$4.09

4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.99 A$5.72

-0.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.47 A$3.54

8.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.19 A$3.13

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.08 A$2.99

5.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.52 A$2.18

7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$30.92 A$44.30

3.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$13.87 A$19.88

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.64 A$6.65

0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.23 A$7.50

-3.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.55 A$3.65

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$64.3 A$92.1

87.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.53 A$5.05

0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.60 A$2.29

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$33.83 A$48.47

-18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.19 A$1.71

-3.36%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.4K A$40.7K

2.82%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$22.1K A$31.7K

3.70%

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

$154 A$220

$185 A$265

-16.81%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$27.25 A$39.03

-23.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$53.5 A$76.6

-3.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$49.49 A$70.9

-1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.85 A$22.71

2.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$13.23 A$18.95

20.71%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,637 A$2,345

7.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$11.9K A$17.0K

64.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$69.1 A$99.0

-2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$50.8 A$72.8

7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$97.4 A$140

8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$107 A$153

-2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,274 A$1,826

23.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,087 A$1,557

10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$2,042 A$2,925

48.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,687 A$2,416

19.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$6,325 A$9,062

11.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,124 A$7,341

25.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

$5,508 A$7,892

-20.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bardwell Park, NSW: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,274 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bardwell Park, NSW pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $337, with Bardwell Park, NSW 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 Bardwell Park, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bardwell Park, NSW wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bardwell Park, NSW the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Bardwell Park, NSW. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,274 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bardwell Park, NSW – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,247 in Bardwell Park, NSW versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bardwell Park, NSW but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Bardwell Park, NSW 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 Bardwell Park, NSW 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 Bardwell Park, NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.