Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Belmont, NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Belmont, NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,435 per month in Melbourne vs $2,254 in Belmont, NSW, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,676 per month in Melbourne vs $3,325 in Belmont, NSW, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,918 per month in Melbourne vs $4,396 in Belmont, NSW, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 8% more than Belmont, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Belmont, NSW sit above the global median – Melbourne by 83%, Belmont, NSW by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.99

$16.27 A$23.37

19.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$112

$76.8 A$110

1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.13

$9.81 A$14.10

0.31%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.30

$3.34 A$4.80

10.48%

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

$2.54 A$3.65

$2.63 A$3.78

-3.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.37

$2.11 A$3.02

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.58

$6.40 A$9.19

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.20

$6.92 A$9.94

2.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

$1.42 A$2.04

5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.70

$2.31 A$3.32

11.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.36

$2.00 A$2.87

17.00%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.79

$4.44 A$6.38

6.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.99

$8.59 A$12.35

5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$13.10

$8.21 A$11.80

11.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.90

$13.93 A$20.02

4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.69

$3.25 A$4.67

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.76 A$3.96

1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.17

$2.94 A$4.22

-1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.79

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.95

$2.48 A$3.56

10.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.37

$2.12 A$3.04

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.04

$2.09 A$3.00

1.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.38

$1.52 A$2.18

9.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.56

$31.36 A$45.04

5.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.71

$15.70 A$22.56

-12.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.77

$4.66 A$6.70

1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.23

$5.31 A$7.62

-5.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.10

$2.54 A$3.64

39.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$174

$65.7 A$94.3

84.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.20

$3.67 A$5.27

-1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.92

$1.56 A$2.24

-14.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.76

$33.94 A$48.75

-20.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.14 A$1.63

3.51%

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

$29.1K A$41.8K

$29.2K A$42.0K

-0.35%

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

$23.0K A$33.0K

$22.1K A$31.8K

3.93%

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

$151 A$217

$181 A$260

-16.72%

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

$21.41 A$30.75

$27.58 A$39.62

-22.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.8

$52.4 A$75.3

-2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$71.5

$49.36 A$70.9

0.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$23.05

$15.62 A$22.44

2.75%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.49

$13.27 A$19.06

23.29%

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

$1,733 A$2,489

$1,649 A$2,369

5.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.2K

$11.9K A$17.1K

59.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$99.6

$69.1 A$99.2

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$77.5

$50.9 A$73.1

6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$100 A$144

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$108 A$155

-3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,214

$1,272 A$1,827

21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,714

$1,080 A$1,552

10.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,304

$2,001 A$2,874

49.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,869

$1,655 A$2,378

20.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.4K

$5,691 A$8,174

27.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,106

$5,012 A$7,199

26.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,254

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Belmont, NSW: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,272 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 $78.0 in Melbourne versus $77.0 in Belmont, NSW. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $340 – making Belmont, NSW the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Melbourne costs about 8% more than Belmont, NSW, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,653 per month in Melbourne and $3,380 in Belmont, NSW. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 85% less in Belmont, NSW. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,733 per month in Melbourne and $1,649 in Belmont, NSW. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belmont, NSW, where all-in costs run around $2,254, than in Melbourne at $2,435. In Belmont, NSW it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Belmont, NSW. 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.