Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Brookvale Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Brookvale

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,418 in Melbourne versus $2,273 in Brookvale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,660 in Melbourne versus $3,355 in Brookvale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,902 in Melbourne versus $4,438 in Brookvale.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 6% more expensive than Brookvale, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Brookvale 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.16 A$27.07

$16.28 A$23.01

17.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$112

$78.6 A$111

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 A$14.19

$9.50 A$13.43

5.79%

Cappuccino

$3.56 A$5.03

$3.42 A$4.84

4.09%

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

$2.59 A$3.66

$2.47 A$3.50

4.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.37

$1.96 A$2.76

21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 A$10.65

$6.53 A$9.23

15.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 A$10.16

$7.36 A$10.40

-2.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.15

$1.47 A$2.07

3.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.58

$2.57 A$3.63

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.19

$1.78 A$2.52

26.97%

Eggs

$4.64 A$6.56

$4.31 A$6.09

7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 A$12.77

$8.95 A$12.64

1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 A$13.44

$8.37 A$11.83

13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 A$20.82

$13.86 A$19.58

6.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.72

$3.38 A$4.77

-1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.01

$2.76 A$3.91

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.09

$3.09 A$4.36

-6.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.59

$4.74 A$6.70

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.91

$2.27 A$3.21

22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.32

$2.30 A$3.26

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$2.99

$2.20 A$3.10

-3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.24

$1.29 A$1.82

22.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.41 A$45.79

$31.42 A$44.39

3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.66

$14.07 A$19.88

-1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.34

$4.85 A$6.85

-7.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.36

$5.51 A$7.78

-5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 A$5.19

$2.65 A$3.75

38.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$170

$64.4 A$90.9

87.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.97

$3.85 A$5.44

-8.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.96

$1.59 A$2.25

-12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.24 A$38.49

$40.23 A$56.8

-32.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.67

$1.14 A$1.62

3.51%

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

$29.2K A$41.2K

$28.8K A$40.7K

1.23%

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

$23.5K A$33.2K

$22.8K A$32.2K

3.00%

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

$152 A$215

$205 A$290

-25.97%

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

$20.95 A$29.60

$29.46 A$41.62

-28.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$72.5

$51.9 A$73.3

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.31 A$68.3

$49.58 A$70.1

-2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 A$22.51

$15.64 A$22.10

1.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 A$22.60

$13.92 A$19.67

14.87%

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

$1,729 A$2,443

$1,728 A$2,442

0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.5K

$13.0K A$18.4K

49.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 A$95.6

$71.6 A$101

-5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 A$74.5

$56.6 A$80.0

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$147

$96.7 A$137

7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$146

$112 A$159

-7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 A$2,162

$923 A$1,303

65.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 A$1,738

$1,078 A$1,523

14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,959 A$4,181

$1,989 A$2,810

48.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 A$2,795

$1,652 A$2,334

19.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,928 A$9,789

$6,105 A$8,626

13.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,056 A$8,556

$5,182 A$7,322

16.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,479 A$6,329

$1,383 A$1,954

223.84%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Brookvale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,530 in Melbourne and $923 in Brookvale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 224% 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 $79.0 in Brookvale. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $344, with Brookvale 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 Brookvale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Brookvale differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,418 vs $2,273 including rent). Brookvale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 224% 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: $1,530 in Melbourne versus $923 in Brookvale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,418 per month in Melbourne versus $2,273 in Brookvale – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brookvale runs roughly 87% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,273 in Brookvale versus $2,418 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Brookvale but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Brookvale 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 Brookvale 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 Brookvale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.