Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Belmont, NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Belmont, NSW: $2,589 a month against $2,849 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne, Australia
Belmont, NSW, Australia
Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,849
/mo nomad
Belmont, NSW
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Belmont, NSW

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Melbourne and in Belmont, NSW actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,849 per month in Melbourne vs $2,589 in Belmont, NSW, rent included.

  • Melbourne $2,849
  • Belmont, NSW $2,589

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Melbourne vs $3,593 in Belmont, NSW, rent included.

  • Melbourne $4,274
  • Belmont, NSW $3,593

A family of three spends $5,699 per month in Melbourne vs $4,596 in Belmont, NSW, rent included.

  • Melbourne $5,699
  • Belmont, NSW $4,596

Melbourne costs about 10% more than Belmont, NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Melbourne and Belmont, NSW sit above the global median – Melbourne by 109%, Belmont, NSW by 90%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.50 A$24.86
$19.17 A$27.24
-8.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.3 A$120
$93.9 A$133
-10.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.17 A$17.29
$11.51 A$16.36
5.73%
Cappuccino
$4.07 A$5.79
$4.46 A$6.33
-8.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 A$4.52
$2.85 A$4.05
11.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 A$3.55
$2.11 A$2.99
18.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.57 A$13.60
$6.88 A$9.78
39.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.25 A$11.72
$7.81 A$11.10
5.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.14
$1.32 A$1.88
13.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 A$4.22
$3.04 A$4.32
-2.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.68 A$3.81
$2.06 A$2.93
30.10%
Eggs
$5.45 A$7.75
$5.03 A$7.15
8.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.71 A$15.22
$7.95 A$11.29
34.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.05 A$14.28
$10.07 A$14.31
-0.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.00 A$21.31
$16.36 A$23.24
-8.31%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 A$5.78
$4.15 A$5.89
-1.93%
Banana (1kg)
$3.14 A$4.46
$3.19 A$4.53
-1.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.12 A$4.43
$3.31 A$4.71
-5.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.73 A$6.72
$4.73 A$6.72
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 A$4.23
$2.33 A$3.32
27.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 A$3.55
$2.56 A$3.63
-2.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.48 A$3.53
$2.05 A$2.91
20.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 A$2.27
$1.44 A$2.05
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.65 A$63.4
$40.24 A$57.2
10.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.68 A$18.02
$12.56 A$17.85
0.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.55 A$7.88
$4.62 A$6.56
20.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.18 A$7.37
$5.86 A$8.32
-11.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.84 A$5.45
$2.42 A$3.43
58.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 A$197
$95.0 A$135
46.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.36 A$6.19
$3.83 A$5.45
13.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 A$1.94
$1.45 A$2.06
-5.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.72 A$42.23
$40.39 A$57.4
-26.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 A$2.11
$1.15 A$1.64
29.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K A$41.3K
$28.4K A$40.4K
2.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K A$36.5K
$29.3K A$41.6K
-12.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$236 A$335
$201 A$286
17.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.01 A$39.80
$28.94 A$41.12
-3.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.2 A$81.3
$50.7 A$72.0
12.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.39 A$68.8
$54.5 A$77.5
-11.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.46 A$30.50
$18.67 A$26.53
14.94%
Cinema Ticket
$17.67 A$25.10
$12.35 A$17.55
43.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,461 A$3,497
$1,938 A$2,754
26.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.7K A$42.2K
$23.3K A$33.1K
27.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.2 A$115
$66.9 A$95.1
21.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.28 A$70.0
$48.17 A$68.4
2.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 A$170
$101 A$144
18.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 A$186
$138 A$196
-4.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,703 A$2,419
$1,555 A$2,210
9.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 A$2,002
$1,273 A$1,809
10.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,496 A$4,967
$2,502 A$3,556
39.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,527 A$3,590
$1,578 A$2,242
60.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,978 A$11.3K
$5,667 A$8,052
40.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,900 A$9,805
$5,269 A$7,486
30.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Belmont, NSW
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,257 A$6,049
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
5.9
-

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 26, 2026

Last update for Belmont, NSW: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Belmont, NSW
$1.3K 9.6% $135
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$386
Belmont, NSW
$370 4.4% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$321
Belmont, NSW
$281 12.5% $40
Eating Out
Melbourne
$312
Belmont, NSW
$311 0.4% $1.2
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$171
Belmont, NSW
$159 7.1% $12
Getting Around
Melbourne
$165
Belmont, NSW
$116 30% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$84
Belmont, NSW
$79 5.4% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Melbourne versus $1,555 in Belmont, NSW. 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 $84 in Melbourne versus $94 in Belmont, NSW. Groceries tell a different story – $386 in Melbourne vs $370 in Belmont, NSW – so Belmont, NSW wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇦🇺 Belmont, NSW
🕒 Local time
01:06 1:06 AM
00:06 12:06 AM
1 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
3,648
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Belmont, NSW 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Belmont, NSW

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Belmont, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Melbourne or Belmont, NSW?
Melbourne costs about 10% more than Belmont, NSW, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Melbourne and in Belmont, NSW?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,273 per month in Melbourne and $3,884 in Belmont, NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Melbourne compared to Belmont, NSW?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,703 in Melbourne and $1,555 in Belmont, NSW. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How expensive is transport in Melbourne compared to Belmont, NSW?
Public transport costs about 32% less in Belmont, NSW. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Melbourne and in Belmont, NSW?
Kindergarten costs $2,461 per month in Melbourne and $1,938 in Belmont, NSW. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Melbourne or in Belmont, NSW?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,849 in Melbourne and $2,589 in Belmont, NSW. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Belmont, NSW – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Melbourne compared to Belmont, NSW?
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.

Melbourne vs other spots: cost of living compared

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