Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bathurst Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bathurst

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,465 per month in Melbourne vs $2,215 in Bathurst, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,636 per month in Melbourne vs $3,273 in Bathurst, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,806 per month in Melbourne vs $4,332 in Bathurst, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 11% more than Bathurst, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Bathurst sit above the global median – Melbourne by 84%, Bathurst by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 A$27.07

$15.97 A$22.36

21.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 A$110

-0.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 A$14.04

$9.91 A$13.87

1.21%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.34 A$4.68

8.38%

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

$2.61 A$3.66

$2.50 A$3.50

4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.23

$2.10 A$2.94

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 A$10.40

$6.33 A$8.86

17.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 A$10.07

$7.33 A$10.26

-1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.56 A$2.18

-6.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.40 A$3.36

10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.04 A$2.85

13.73%

Eggs

$4.68 A$6.56

$4.27 A$5.98

9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 A$12.87

$8.77 A$12.28

4.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 A$13.10

$8.42 A$11.79

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 A$20.56

$13.86 A$19.41

5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.49

$3.35 A$4.69

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 A$3.90

$2.86 A$4.00

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.14

$2.85 A$3.99

3.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.73

$4.18 A$5.85

-2.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.44 A$3.41

10.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.29

$2.13 A$2.98

10.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$2.11 A$2.95

4.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.32

$1.53 A$2.15

8.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.79 A$45.91

$31.27 A$43.77

4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 A$20.42

$14.57 A$20.40

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.61

$4.66 A$6.53

1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 A$7.13

$5.45 A$7.63

-6.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 A$5.05

$2.59 A$3.62

39.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 A$165

$65.9 A$92.2

78.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.15

$3.55 A$4.97

3.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.95

$1.54 A$2.16

-9.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 A$38.61

$33.09 A$46.33

-16.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.18 A$1.65

0.85%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

$28.4K A$39.7K

3.31%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$22.6K A$31.6K

4.82%

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

$152 A$212

$185 A$260

-18.22%

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

$21.15 A$29.62

$26.87 A$37.61

-21.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 A$69.9

$58.0 A$81.2

-13.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.19 A$68.9

$47.85 A$67.0

2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.15 A$22.62

$15.98 A$22.37

1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 A$22.38

$13.13 A$18.38

21.78%

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

$1,756 A$2,458

$1,644 A$2,301

6.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$12.0K A$16.8K

59.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 A$93.6

$68.8 A$96.3

-2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 A$75.5

$50.3 A$70.5

7.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$98.7 A$138

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$144

$109 A$153

-5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 A$2,196

$1,285 A$1,799

22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 A$1,656

$1,069 A$1,497

10.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,038 A$4,254

$1,992 A$2,789

52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,831

$1,655 A$2,318

22.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,557 A$10.6K

$6,369 A$8,916

18.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,138

$5,702 A$7,983

14.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,490 A$6,287

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bathurst: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in Melbourne versus $1,285 in Bathurst. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Melbourne versus $78.0 in Bathurst. Groceries tell a different story – $357 in Melbourne vs $343 in Bathurst – so Bathurst wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bathurst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,698 per month in Melbourne and $3,322 in Bathurst. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bathurst, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 78% less in Bathurst. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,756 per month in Melbourne and $1,644 in Bathurst. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bathurst, where all-in costs run around $2,215, than in Melbourne at $2,465. In Bathurst it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bathurst – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bathurst. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.