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: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,610 in Broken Hill.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,779 in Broken Hill.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,948 in Broken Hill.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Broken Hill 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.79 A$24.80

3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$85.0 A$119

1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.67 A$14.88

16.78%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.05 A$5.64

2.96%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.90 A$4.04

8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.26 A$3.15

17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.80 A$10.87

28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.55 A$10.52

12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.64 A$2.29

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.84 A$3.96

15.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.32 A$3.23

30.17%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.20 A$7.25

15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.51 A$13.26

16.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.44 A$13.16

5.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$14.99 A$20.90

5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.78 A$5.26

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.11 A$4.34

3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.40 A$4.74

1.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.70 A$6.56

4.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.77 A$3.86

13.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.52 A$3.51

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.42 A$3.37

4.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.67 A$2.33

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$39.55 A$55.1

16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.37 A$20.03

-12.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.15 A$7.18

5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.50 A$7.67

-3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.05 A$4.25

32.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$87.8 A$122

61.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.54 A$4.94

33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.67 A$2.32

-15.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$40.96 A$57.1

-23.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.31 A$1.83

9.16%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.7K A$38.7K

6.25%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.5K A$42.5K

-11.58%

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

$239 A$334

$215 A$300

11.09%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$27.99 A$39.02

0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$58.4 A$81.5

-1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$58.3 A$81.3

-4.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.18 A$25.34

24.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$16.06 A$22.39

11.39%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,223 A$3,100

10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$20.9K A$29.2K

50.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$78.2 A$109

5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$54.8 A$76.4

-4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$112 A$156

7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$128 A$179

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,452 A$2,025

22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,303 A$1,817

11.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,325 A$3,241

53.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,899 A$2,648

35.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,583 A$9,177

10.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,215 A$7,271

32.24%

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 Broken Hill: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,452 in Broken Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $85.0 in Broken Hill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $379 per month, with Broken Hill 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 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $3,914 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,452 in Broken Hill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,223 in Broken Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Broken Hill 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 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 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.