Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Busselton Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Busselton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,703 in Busselton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,845 in Busselton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,987 in Busselton.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 8% more expensive than in Busselton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Busselton 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.96 A$25.03

2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$85.7 A$119

0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.88 A$15.17

14.52%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.68 A$6.53

-10.90%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.18 A$3.04

44.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.18 A$3.05

21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.85 A$12.34

13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$8.74 A$12.19

-2.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.69 A$2.36

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.04 A$4.24

8.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.12 A$2.95

42.45%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.54 A$7.72

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$8.96 A$12.49

23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.55 A$13.31

3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$14.60 A$20.36

8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.73 A$6.60

-6.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.24 A$4.52

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.47 A$4.84

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$5.22 A$7.27

-5.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.95 A$4.11

6.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.97 A$2.75

35.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.41 A$3.36

4.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.36 A$1.90

24.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$42.83 A$59.7

7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$12.86 A$17.93

-2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$4.44 A$6.20

21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.60 A$5.02

48.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.06 A$4.27

31.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$87.2 A$122

62.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.65 A$5.08

29.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.48 A$2.07

-4.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$42.05 A$58.6

-25.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.29 A$1.80

10.85%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.1K A$39.2K

4.90%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.5K A$42.5K

-11.63%

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

$239 A$334

$207 A$289

15.56%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$33.48 A$46.68

-15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$64.3 A$89.6

-10.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.6 A$78.9

-1.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.28 A$25.48

24.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$17.16 A$23.92

4.25%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,364 A$3,296

3.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$23.5K A$32.8K

34.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$77.6 A$108

6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$69.7 A$97.2

-25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$124 A$172

-2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$161 A$225

-15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,434 A$1,999

23.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,308 A$1,823

11.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,259 A$3,150

57.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,897 A$2,645

35.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,731 A$9,384

7.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,231 A$7,293

31.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

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 Busselton: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,434 in Busselton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $86.0 in Busselton. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $373, with Busselton 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 Busselton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Busselton differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,703 including rent). Busselton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $4,054 in Busselton to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,434 in Busselton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,364 in Busselton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Busselton 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 Busselton 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 Busselton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.