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: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,595 in Berwick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,725 in Berwick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,856 in Berwick.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 12% more expensive than in Berwick, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Berwick 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.88 A$24.92

2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$87.0 A$121

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.55 A$14.70

18.10%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.04 A$5.64

3.22%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.89 A$4.04

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.33 A$3.24

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.66 A$10.68

31.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.55 A$10.53

12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.71 A$2.39

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.71 A$3.77

21.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.26 A$3.16

33.63%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.14 A$7.17

16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.77 A$13.63

13.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.48 A$13.22

4.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$15.16 A$21.14

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.68 A$5.13

19.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.07 A$4.28

4.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.42 A$4.77

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.88 A$6.80

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.65 A$3.69

18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.40 A$3.35

10.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.48 A$3.45

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.69 A$2.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$39.88 A$55.6

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.51 A$20.22

-13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.04 A$7.03

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.49 A$7.66

-2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.07 A$4.28

31.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$86.8 A$121

63.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.61 A$5.03

30.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.60 A$2.23

-11.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$40.75 A$56.8

-23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.24 A$1.73

15.32%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.6K A$38.5K

6.64%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.5K A$42.6K

-11.67%

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

$239 A$334

$217 A$303

10.09%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$27.79 A$38.75

1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$57.6 A$80.3

-0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$57.6 A$80.4

-3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.33 A$25.55

23.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$15.89 A$22.15

12.59%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,214 A$3,087

10.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$21.1K A$29.4K

49.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$79.3 A$111

3.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$56.3 A$78.5

-7.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$115 A$161

4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$124 A$173

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,455 A$2,028

22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,297 A$1,809

12.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,322 A$3,237

53.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,858 A$2,591

38.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,584 A$9,179

10.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,310 A$7,403

29.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Berwick: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,455 in Berwick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $87.0 in Berwick. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $379, with Berwick cheaper for home cooking.

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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $3,892 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,455 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 $87.0 versus $86.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,595 in Berwick – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Berwick is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.