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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,149 in Blacktown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,166 in Blacktown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,183 in Blacktown.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 12% more expensive than Blacktown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Blacktown 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$9.60 A$13.38

105.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$86.5 A$121

-9.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$6.84 A$9.53

41.81%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$2.88 A$4.01

27.08%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$1.76 A$2.45

47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.60 A$2.24

46.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.61 A$9.21

8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.34 A$10.23

-4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$0.96 A$1.34

51.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$0.92 A$1.29

189.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$0.93 A$1.30

151.61%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$2.61 A$3.64

83.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$10.07 A$14.04

-12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$9.24 A$12.88

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$15.00 A$20.90

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.23 A$4.50

3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.94 A$4.10

-5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$3.10 A$4.32

-3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$3.92 A$5.47

0.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.28 A$3.18

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.27 A$1.77

85.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.74 A$2.43

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$0.30 A$0.42

443.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$26.17 A$36.47

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.15 A$19.71

-0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$5.01 A$6.98

-7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$6.08 A$8.47

-17.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.66 A$3.70

31.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.8 A$90.3

85.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$4.02 A$5.60

-12.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.74 A$2.43

-22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$40.45 A$56.4

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.13 A$1.58

5.31%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$21.7K A$30.3K

35.42%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$16.7K A$23.3K

40.87%

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

$150 A$209

$220 A$306

-31.74%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$29.44 A$41.02

-28.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$44.76 A$62.4

12.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.38 A$67.4

1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.52 A$21.62

5.48%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.86 A$17.91

27.76%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,723 A$2,401

2.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$13.3K A$18.5K

44.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$71.7 A$99.9

-4.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$55.8 A$77.7

-4.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$97.5 A$136

9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$116 A$161

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,241 A$1,729

26.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,064 A$1,483

12.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,988 A$2,771

53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,645 A$2,293

20.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,631 A$9,240

11.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,159 A$7,189

26.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$3,958 A$5,516

14.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.29

-1.59%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Blacktown: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Melbourne pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $86.0 in Blacktown. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $306, with Blacktown 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 Blacktown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blacktown is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Melbourne pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,241 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 85% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,723 in Blacktown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,149 in Blacktown versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Blacktown but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Blacktown 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 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 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.