Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Berwick Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Berwick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,250 in Berwick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,254 in Berwick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,258 in Berwick.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 7% more expensive than Berwick, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Berwick 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.43 A$22.89

20.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.0 A$109

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.99 A$13.92

-2.90%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.41 A$4.74

7.33%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.50 A$3.49

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.21 A$3.07

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.47 A$9.02

10.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.96 A$9.70

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.47 A$2.05

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.35 A$3.28

13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.01 A$2.81

16.42%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.36 A$6.07

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.48 A$11.81

3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.63 A$12.03

9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.92 A$19.39

3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.18 A$4.42

4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.75 A$3.83

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.98 A$4.15

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.14 A$5.77

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.43 A$3.39

10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.09 A$2.91

12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.15 A$3.00

-0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.57 A$2.19

3.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$30.34 A$42.28

6.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$13.88 A$19.34

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.60 A$6.41

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.21 A$7.26

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.64 A$3.68

32.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$66.1 A$92.1

81.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.54 A$4.93

-1.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.62 A$2.25

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$32.97 A$45.94

-18.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.18 A$1.64

0.85%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

0.11%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.4K A$31.2K

5.33%

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

$150 A$209

$180 A$251

-16.74%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.20 A$37.91

-22.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$53.0 A$73.8

-5.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.16 A$67.1

2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.85 A$22.09

3.28%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.15 A$18.33

24.94%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,648 A$2,297

7.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.9K A$16.6K

61.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$69.2 A$96.5

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$49.66 A$69.2

7.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$97.9 A$136

8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$106 A$148

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,241 A$1,729

26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,070 A$1,490

11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,044 A$2,848

49.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,664 A$2,319

19.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,399 A$7,523

36.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,343 A$7,446

22.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Berwick: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,241 in Berwick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Berwick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $339 per month, with Berwick cheaper across the board.

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 Berwick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Berwick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,624 in Melbourne and $3,375 in Berwick to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,241 in Berwick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Berwick – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,416 per month in Melbourne versus $2,250 in Berwick – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,250 in Berwick versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Berwick but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Berwick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Berwick are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Berwick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.