Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bunbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Bunbury

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,549 in Bunbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,654 in Bunbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,759 in Bunbury.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bunbury, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Bunbury 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$21.90 A$30.54

-15.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$85.0 A$119

1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.90 A$15.20

14.31%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.35 A$6.07

-4.14%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.90 A$4.05

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

$8.61 A$12.01

16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$8.64 A$12.05

-1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.06 A$1.48

51.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$1.11 A$1.55

196.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.02 A$2.82

49.50%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.41 A$7.54

10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.07 A$12.64

21.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$8.61 A$12.01

15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$8.47 A$11.81

87.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.70 A$5.15

19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$2.88 A$4.02

19.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.66 A$6.50

5.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.78 A$3.88

12.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.96 A$2.74

35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$1.83 A$2.56

37.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$0.78 A$1.09

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$26.89 A$37.49

71.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$7.21 A$10.05

74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$4.44 A$6.19

21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.53 A$4.93

50.99%

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

$85.0 A$118

67.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.64 A$5.07

29.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.44 A$2.00

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$36.27 A$50.6

-13.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.21 A$1.69

18.18%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$21.4K A$29.8K

37.69%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$19.4K A$27.1K

38.68%

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

$239 A$334

$162 A$226

47.61%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$32.73 A$45.64

-13.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$63.2 A$88.1

-9.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$57.8 A$80.5

-3.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.04 A$25.15

25.94%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$14.61 A$20.37

22.45%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,374 A$3,310

3.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$24.2K A$33.7K

30.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$76.6 A$107

7.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$68.5 A$95.5

-23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$123 A$171

-2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$96.4 A$134

41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,470 A$2,049

20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,266 A$1,765

15.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,273 A$3,169

56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,892 A$2,638

35.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,740 A$9,397

7.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,282 A$7,365

30.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$4,825 A$6,727

-7.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bunbury: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,470 in Bunbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bunbury pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $85.0 in Bunbury for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $292 per month, with Bunbury 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 Bunbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bunbury is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Bunbury. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,470 in Bunbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,374 in Bunbury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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. Bunbury 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 Bunbury 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 Bunbury 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.