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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,905 per month in Melbourne vs $2,624 in Bathurst, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,310 per month in Melbourne vs $3,739 in Bathurst, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,714 per month in Melbourne vs $4,854 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 112%, Bathurst by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.38

$16.04 A$22.46

12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$119

$85.5 A$120

-0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$16.96

$10.96 A$15.35

10.49%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.77

$3.71 A$5.20

11.05%

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

$3.21 A$4.50

$2.98 A$4.18

7.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.37 A$3.32

7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.68

$4.92 A$6.90

98.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$11.98

$7.76 A$10.87

10.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.98 A$2.77

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.46

$2.86 A$4.00

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.30 A$3.22

23.91%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.16

$4.97 A$6.96

17.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.40

$9.76 A$13.67

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.04

$9.48 A$13.28

5.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.63

$14.97 A$20.97

3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.16

$3.89 A$5.44

13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.44

$3.17 A$4.43

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.59

$3.33 A$4.66

-1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.83

$4.68 A$6.55

4.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.36

$2.77 A$3.88

12.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.69

$2.42 A$3.39

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.49

$2.56 A$3.59

-2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.36

$1.63 A$2.29

3.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.3

$39.85 A$55.8

15.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.73

$14.30 A$20.02

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.86

$5.11 A$7.15

9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.41

$5.49 A$7.69

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.45

$3.21 A$4.50

21.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$197

$87.7 A$123

60.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.51

$3.69 A$5.16

26.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.98

$1.63 A$2.29

-13.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$42.92

$41.47 A$58.1

-26.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.94

$1.27 A$1.78

8.66%

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

$28.9K A$40.5K

$28.1K A$39.4K

3.00%

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

$27.2K A$38.1K

$30.7K A$43.0K

-11.29%

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

$238 A$333

$214 A$300

10.93%

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

$27.90 A$39.08

$42.39 A$59.4

-34.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$80.8

$63.7 A$89.2

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.0

$57.9 A$81.2

-5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.25

$18.36 A$25.71

21.51%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.02

$16.15 A$22.61

10.65%

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

$2,450 A$3,431

$2,260 A$3,166

8.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$44.9K

$20.6K A$28.9K

55.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$114

$80.4 A$113

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$72.6

$57.0 A$79.9

-9.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$113 A$158

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$189

$130 A$182

3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,473

$1,481 A$2,075

19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,002

$1,315 A$1,842

8.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,819

$2,294 A$3,213

50.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,588

$1,881 A$2,634

36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$6,766 A$9,476

8.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,663

$5,334 A$7,471

29.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,095

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.84

0.86%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bathurst: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,481 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 $85.0 in Melbourne versus $86.0 in Bathurst. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Melbourne vs $382 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 $4,358 per month in Melbourne and $3,936 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 60% less in Bathurst. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,450 per month in Melbourne and $2,260 in Bathurst. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,905 in Melbourne and $2,624 in Bathurst. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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.