Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Blacktown Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Blacktown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,685 in Blacktown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,890 in Blacktown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $5,094 in Blacktown.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 8% more expensive than in Blacktown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Blacktown 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$19.63 A$27.37

-6.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$94.1 A$131

-8.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.74 A$14.97

16.01%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.07 A$5.67

2.46%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.24 A$4.52

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.73 A$3.80

-2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.65 A$12.07

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$9.91 A$13.81

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.67 A$2.33

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.46 A$4.82

-4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.72 A$3.79

11.03%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.45 A$7.59

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$14.19 A$19.78

-22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$11.04 A$15.39

-10.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$16.60 A$23.14

-4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.21 A$5.87

4.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.33 A$4.64

-3.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.64 A$5.08

-5.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$5.20 A$7.25

-5.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$3.16 A$4.40

-0.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.90 A$4.05

-8.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.70 A$3.77

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.51 A$2.10

11.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$46.49 A$64.8

-0.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.75 A$20.57

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$4.80 A$6.69

12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.73 A$7.99

-6.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.16 A$4.40

27.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$87.4 A$122

62.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$4.28 A$5.97

10.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.63 A$2.27

-13.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$45.15 A$62.9

-30.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.31 A$1.82

9.16%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.0K A$39.0K

5.36%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.6K A$42.7K

-11.98%

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

$239 A$334

$185 A$259

29.03%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$27.65 A$38.55

1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$58.0 A$80.9

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$57.3 A$79.9

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.35 A$25.58

23.81%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$16.66 A$23.23

7.38%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,455 A$3,422

0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$20.7K A$28.9K

52.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$80.1 A$112

2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$58.5 A$81.6

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$121 A$168

-0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$138 A$192

-0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,449 A$2,021

22.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,276 A$1,779

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,313 A$3,225

53.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,855 A$2,586

38.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,626 A$9,239

9.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,249 A$7,319

31.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.95

-1.85%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,449 in Blacktown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $94.0 in Blacktown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $422 per month, with Melbourne 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 Blacktown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blacktown is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $4,028 in Blacktown 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 $1,449 in Blacktown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Blacktown runs roughly 62% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,455 in Blacktown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Blacktown 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 Blacktown 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 Blacktown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.