Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Broome, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Broome, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,118 in Broome, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,582 in Melbourne versus $3,655 in Broome, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,747 in Melbourne versus $5,191 in Broome, WA.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 14% more expensive than in Broome, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Broome, WA 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 A$27.43

$16.02 A$22.84

20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 A$113

$128 A$183

-38.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 A$14.07

$9.50 A$13.54

3.89%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.22

$4.96 A$7.06

-26.21%

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

$2.57 A$3.67

$3.87 A$5.52

-33.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 A$3.23

$2.33 A$3.33

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 A$10.68

$7.96 A$11.35

-5.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 A$10.44

$6.89 A$9.83

6.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.16

$1.43 A$2.04

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.72

$1.81 A$2.58

44.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.19

$2.75 A$3.92

-18.55%

Eggs

$4.69 A$6.69

$5.98 A$8.53

-21.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 A$13.06

$8.54 A$12.18

7.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 A$13.37

$8.52 A$12.14

10.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.74

$13.82 A$19.69

5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.51

$4.25 A$6.05

-25.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.12

$2.09 A$2.97

38.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.20

$3.63 A$5.18

-19.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 A$5.70

$5.85 A$8.33

-31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.98

$2.62 A$3.73

6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.31

$2.40 A$3.42

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.15

$2.48 A$3.54

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.36

$1.48 A$2.11

11.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.10 A$47.17

$29.09 A$41.47

13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 A$20.46

$17.38 A$24.77

-17.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.61

$4.63 A$6.59

0.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 A$7.31

$5.32 A$7.58

-3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 A$5.19

$2.66 A$3.79

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 A$170

$65.5 A$93.3

82.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$5.03

$7.67 A$10.93

-53.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.93

$1.62 A$2.30

-16.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.69 A$38.04

$33.54 A$47.81

-20.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.62

$1.51 A$2.15

-24.50%

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

$28.8K A$41.1K

$28.5K A$40.7K

1.01%

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

$23.7K A$33.8K

$20.9K A$29.8K

13.31%

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

$150 A$214

$186 A$265

-19.42%

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

$20.81 A$29.67

$27.94 A$39.83

-25.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 A$73.6

$45.96 A$65.5

12.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 A$71.5

$48.83 A$69.6

2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 A$22.94

$15.86 A$22.61

1.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 A$22.75

$16.42 A$23.41

-2.80%

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

$1,716 A$2,445

$1,656 A$2,360

3.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K A$28.0K

$12.3K A$17.5K

60.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$95.4

$68.5 A$97.6

-2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 A$77.2

$49.77 A$71.0

8.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$152

$97.8 A$139

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 A$2,180

$1,101 A$1,569

38.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 A$1,710

$905 A$1,291

32.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,004 A$4,282

$2,385 A$3,400

25.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 A$2,838

$2,050 A$2,921

-2.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,160 A$10.2K

$6,150 A$8,766

16.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,075 A$8,660

$5,217 A$7,436

16.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,524 A$6,449

$3,897 A$5,555

16.09%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Broome, WA: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,529 in Melbourne and $1,101 in Broome, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 16% 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 $128 in Broome, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $363 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 Broome, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Broome, WA differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,118 including rent). Broome, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Melbourne, 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: $1,529 in Melbourne versus $1,101 in Broome, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,416 per month in Melbourne versus $2,118 in Broome, WA – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Broome, WA runs roughly 82% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,118 in Broome, WA versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Broome, WA but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Broome, WA 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 Broome, WA 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 Broome, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.