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: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,629 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,754 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,878 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 11% more expensive than in Bardwell Park, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Bardwell Park, NSW 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.62 A$24.57

4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$84.4 A$118

2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.55 A$14.71

18.10%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.09 A$5.71

1.96%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.01 A$4.20

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.24 A$3.13

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.06 A$11.23

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.71 A$10.75

10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.65 A$2.31

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.74 A$3.82

20.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.35 A$3.27

28.51%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.15 A$7.18

16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.63 A$13.43

14.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.38 A$13.07

5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$14.86 A$20.72

6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.60 A$5.01

22.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.12 A$4.34

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.28 A$4.58

5.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.72 A$6.59

4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.74 A$3.82

14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.51 A$3.50

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.42 A$3.38

4.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$40.01 A$55.8

15.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.14 A$19.71

-11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.21 A$7.26

3.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.40 A$7.53

-1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.20 A$4.46

25.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$87.4 A$122

62.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.49 A$4.87

34.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.62 A$2.26

-12.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.66 A$58.1

-24.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.25 A$1.74

14.40%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.8K A$38.7K

6.07%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$31.4K A$43.8K

-14.27%

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

$239 A$334

$214 A$298

11.86%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$28.24 A$39.37

-0.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$58.4 A$81.5

-1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$58.0 A$80.8

-3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.29 A$25.50

24.22%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$16.02 A$22.34

11.67%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,214 A$3,087

10.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$21.0K A$29.3K

49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$78.2 A$109

5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$55.4 A$77.3

-6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$116 A$161

3.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$127 A$177

7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,437 A$2,003

23.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,272 A$1,774

14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,284 A$3,185

55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,906 A$2,658

34.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,712 A$9,358

8.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,197 A$7,245

32.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$5,645 A$7,870

-21.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bardwell Park, NSW: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,437 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bardwell Park, NSW pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $84.0 in Bardwell Park, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $376 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 11% 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 27% 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,437 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $84.0 versus $86.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bardwell Park, NSW is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 11% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.