Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Broken Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Broken Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,244 in Broken Hill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,324 in Broken Hill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,404 in Broken Hill.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Broken Hill 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.11 A$22.44

22.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$79.1 A$110

-0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.48 A$13.21

2.32%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.51 A$4.90

4.27%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.50 A$3.48

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.16 A$3.02

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.33 A$8.82

13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.98 A$9.72

0.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.43 A$2.00

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.40 A$3.34

10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.97 A$2.75

18.78%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.37 A$6.09

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.48 A$11.81

3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.45 A$11.77

11.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.64 A$19.01

5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.21 A$4.47

3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.75 A$3.83

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.95 A$4.11

1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.06 A$5.65

-2.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.39 A$3.33

12.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.09 A$2.91

12.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.19 A$3.05

-2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.52 A$2.11

7.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$30.68 A$42.76

5.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$16.19 A$22.56

-12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.51 A$6.28

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.42 A$7.56

-7.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.67 A$3.72

30.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.1 A$90.8

84.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.66 A$5.10

-4.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.59 A$2.22

-15.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$32.90 A$45.84

-18.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.19 A$1.65

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.7K A$40.0K

2.58%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.2K A$31.0K

6.10%

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

$150 A$209

$183 A$255

-18.00%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.13 A$37.80

-22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$51.7 A$72.0

-2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$47.81 A$66.6

2.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.75 A$21.95

3.94%

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

$1,619 A$2,256

8.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.1K A$16.9K

58.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$68.3 A$95.1

0.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$51.0 A$71.0

4.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$98.1 A$137

8.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$109 A$152

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,271 A$1,771

23.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,053 A$1,467

13.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,003 A$2,792

52.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,673 A$2,331

18.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,685 A$7,922

29.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,981 A$6,941

31.05%

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 Broken Hill: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,271 in Broken Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Broken Hill. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $341, with Broken Hill 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 Broken Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $3,624 in Melbourne and $3,366 in Broken Hill 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 $1,271 in Broken Hill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,619 in Broken Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,244 in Broken Hill versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Broken Hill but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Broken Hill 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 Broken Hill 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 Broken Hill 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.