Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bendigo Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bendigo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $1,636 in Bendigo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $2,464 in Bendigo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $3,292 in Bendigo, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 48% more than Bendigo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Bendigo sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Bendigo by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$19.42 A$27.06

1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$58.9 A$82.0

33.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.49 A$13.23

2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.72 A$5.18

-1.61%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.55 A$3.55

1.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.21 A$3.08

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.41 A$10.33

-3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$4.68 A$6.52

49.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.10 A$1.53

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.52 A$3.52

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.24 A$3.12

4.46%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.31 A$6.00

11.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.74 A$12.18

0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.91 A$12.41

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$14.66 A$20.42

-1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.27 A$4.55

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.91 A$4.06

-4.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.95 A$4.11

1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.10 A$5.71

-3.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.25 A$3.14

19.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.93 A$2.69

22.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.14 A$2.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.64 A$2.29

-0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$23.76 A$33.12

36.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$9.79 A$13.64

44.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.71 A$6.57

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.07 A$7.07

-0.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$4.29 A$5.98

-18.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$54.1 A$75.3

121.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.49 A$4.86

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.34 A$1.86

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$12.96 A$18.06

107.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.11 A$1.55

7.21%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$25.5K A$35.6K

15.16%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$18.1K A$25.2K

30.17%

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

$150 A$209

$151 A$210

-0.49%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$19.64 A$27.36

7.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$47.49 A$66.2

5.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$58.5 A$81.5

-15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$18.05 A$25.15

-9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$10.37 A$14.45

58.44%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,167 A$1,626

51.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$19.5K A$27.2K

-1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$65.0 A$90.6

5.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$54.0 A$75.2

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$108 A$150

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$102 A$143

2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$640 A$892

145.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$482 A$672

147.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$965 A$1,345

215.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$670 A$933

197.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$4,522 A$6,302

63.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$3,977 A$5,541

64.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$3,408 A$4,749

32.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bendigo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $640 in Bendigo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne versus $59.0 in Bendigo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $335 – making Bendigo 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 Bendigo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 48%, 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 $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $2,455 in Bendigo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne and $59.0 in Bendigo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,416 in Melbourne and $1,636 in Bendigo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bendigo, where all-in costs run around $1,636, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Bendigo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bendigo – 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 Bendigo. 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.