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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,001 in Bunbury.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,067 in Bunbury.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,132 in Bunbury.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 21% more expensive than Bunbury, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Bunbury 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.10 A$22.44

22.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$79.1 A$110

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$10.37 A$14.45

-6.46%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.76 A$5.24

-2.66%

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

$1.93 A$2.69

21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.61 A$10.61

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.47 A$9.01

8.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$0.98 A$1.37

47.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$0.99 A$1.38

168.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.83 A$2.55

27.87%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.57 A$6.38

5.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.42 A$11.73

4.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$7.57 A$10.55

24.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$7.70 A$10.73

87.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.38 A$4.71

-1.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.99 A$4.16

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.56 A$3.56

17.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.45 A$6.21

-11.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.50 A$3.49

7.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.71 A$2.38

38.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.61 A$2.24

32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$0.72 A$1.01

126.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$24.10 A$33.58

34.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$6.97 A$9.71

102.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.91 A$5.46

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$4.19 A$5.84

20.29%

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

$52.2 A$72.8

129.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.93 A$5.47

-10.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$2.15 A$3.00

-37.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$32.48 A$45.26

-17.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.16 A$1.62

2.59%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$19.4K A$27.1K

51.44%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$17.6K A$24.5K

34.14%

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

$150 A$209

$148 A$206

1.19%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.75 A$38.67

-23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$56.1 A$78.1

-10.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$52.3 A$72.9

-6.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$9.69 A$13.51

68.94%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.86 A$17.92

27.76%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,824 A$2,542

-3.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.9K A$16.5K

61.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$71.5 A$99.7

-4.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$48.40 A$67.5

10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$101 A$141

4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$86.3 A$120

21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$893 A$1,244

76.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$911 A$1,270

31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,711 A$2,385

78.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,708 A$2,381

16.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,759 A$8,025

28.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,372 A$7,487

21.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,783 A$6,665

-5.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.42

-3.58%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bunbury: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $893 in Bunbury. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bunbury pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Bunbury. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $267, with Bunbury 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 Bunbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bunbury is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bunbury earns 6% less. 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $893 in Bunbury. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,824 in Bunbury. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,001 in Bunbury versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bunbury but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Bunbury 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 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 21% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.