Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Burnie Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Burnie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,629 in Burnie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $2,467 in Burnie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,305 in Burnie.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 49% more expensive than in Burnie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Burnie 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.71

$16.32 A$23.37

18.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$84.6 A$121

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.10

$5.12 A$7.33

92.38%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.33

$3.60 A$5.15

3.61%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.65 A$3.79

-1.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$1.67 A$2.39

36.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.53

$4.00 A$5.72

84.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.93

$5.64 A$8.07

23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.83 A$2.63

-18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.47 A$3.54

4.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.75 A$2.51

33.71%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.55 A$6.52

6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.49

$9.36 A$13.39

-6.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$5.98 A$8.56

54.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.88

$16.32 A$23.36

-10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$2.63 A$3.77

26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.55 A$3.65

10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$1.98 A$2.84

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$2.67 A$3.82

49.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.58 A$3.70

3.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$1.92 A$2.75

16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.92 A$2.75

14.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.99 A$2.85

-17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.74

$26.35 A$37.72

21.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.93

$14.45 A$20.69

-3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$3.28 A$4.70

42.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.21

$5.32 A$7.62

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.01

$1.74 A$2.49

101.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$65.3 A$93.5

84.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$2.37 A$3.39

50.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.88 A$2.69

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.37

$29.32 A$41.97

-6.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.18 A$1.69

-2.54%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.7K A$41.1K

1.60%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$27.1K A$38.8K

-15.21%

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

$154 A$220

$193 A$276

-20.11%

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

$20.93 A$29.97

$19.82 A$28.38

5.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$45.74 A$65.5

12.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$48.44 A$69.4

0.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.25

$15.97 A$22.87

1.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.87

$13.15 A$18.83

21.44%

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

$1,765 A$2,527

$1,664 A$2,382

6.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.9K

$11.9K A$17.1K

63.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.0

$63.1 A$90.4

6.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$23.13 A$33.12

135.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$104 A$149

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$87.0 A$125

19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,255

$746 A$1,068

111.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,726

$530 A$759

127.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,354

$1,054 A$1,510

188.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,895

$787 A$1,127

156.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$5,380 A$7,703

31.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,192

$5,804 A$8,309

10.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,297

$5,105 A$7,309

-13.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.6

10.54%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Burnie: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $746 in Burnie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnie pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $85.0 in Burnie. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $324, with Burnie 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 Burnie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burnie is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Burnie. 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $746 in Burnie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Burnie – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,629 in Burnie versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Burnie but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Burnie 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 Burnie 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 Burnie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.