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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,269 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,282 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,296 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 6% more expensive than Bardwell Park, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Bardwell Park, NSW 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.58 A$23.11

19.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.7 A$108

1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.96 A$13.88

-2.61%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.50 A$4.88

4.57%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.64 A$3.67

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.20 A$3.07

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.43 A$8.96

11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.93 A$9.65

0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.43 A$1.99

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.35 A$3.27

13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.03 A$2.82

15.27%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.30 A$5.99

11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.50 A$11.84

3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.48 A$11.82

11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.94 A$19.43

3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.24 A$4.51

2.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.72 A$3.78

1.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.87 A$4.00

4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.08 A$5.68

-3.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.49 A$3.46

7.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.19 A$3.06

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.19 A$3.05

-2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.53 A$2.13

6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$30.53 A$42.55

6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.09 A$19.64

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.70 A$6.55

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.39 A$7.51

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.67 A$3.71

30.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.2 A$90.8

84.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.55 A$4.94

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.63 A$2.27

-17.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.57 A$46.78

-19.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.13 A$1.57

5.31%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.6K A$39.8K

3.01%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.2K A$30.9K

6.24%

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

$150 A$209

$181 A$253

-17.32%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.46 A$38.27

-22.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$52.5 A$73.2

-4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.08 A$67.0

2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.94 A$22.21

2.70%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.76 A$17.78

28.76%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,601 A$2,231

10.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.0K A$16.7K

59.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$67.2 A$93.6

1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$50.6 A$70.5

5.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$99.7 A$139

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$108 A$151

-3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,258 A$1,752

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,047 A$1,458

14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,028 A$2,826

50.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,682 A$2,344

18.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,073 A$8,463

21.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,259 A$7,328

24.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$5,813 A$8,101

-22.38%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bardwell Park, NSW: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,258 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bardwell Park, NSW pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Bardwell Park, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $339 per month, with Bardwell Park, NSW 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 Bardwell Park, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bardwell Park, NSW wins on cost – living expenses run 6% 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, Bardwell Park, NSW earns 29% less. 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,258 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 $78.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,269 in Bardwell Park, NSW versus $2,416 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 6% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.