Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Caboolture Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Caboolture

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,435 per month in Melbourne vs $1,816 in Caboolture, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,676 per month in Melbourne vs $2,621 in Caboolture, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,918 per month in Melbourne vs $3,426 in Caboolture, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 34% more than Caboolture, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Melbourne and Caboolture sit above the global median – Melbourne by 83%, Caboolture by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.99

$10.37 A$14.90

87.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$112

$44.80 A$64.4

73.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.13

$9.73 A$13.97

1.13%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.30

$2.84 A$4.08

29.93%

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

$2.54 A$3.65

$1.72 A$2.46

47.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.37

$1.58 A$2.28

48.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.58

$6.36 A$9.14

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.20

$7.93 A$11.39

-10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

$1.16 A$1.67

29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.70

$2.10 A$3.02

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.36

$2.14 A$3.07

9.35%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.79

$4.21 A$6.05

12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.99

$7.24 A$10.40

25.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$13.10

$8.23 A$11.82

10.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.90

$11.32 A$16.26

28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.69

$2.91 A$4.18

12.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.54 A$3.65

10.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.17

$3.72 A$5.35

-22.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.79

$3.87 A$5.56

4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.95

$2.15 A$3.09

27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.37

$1.75 A$2.52

33.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.04

$1.90 A$2.74

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.38

$0.80 A$1.15

107.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.56

$26.26 A$37.71

26.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.71

$13.73 A$19.72

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.77

$3.65 A$5.24

29.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.23

$6.79 A$9.75

-25.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.10

$3.00 A$4.31

18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$174

$52.5 A$75.4

130.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.20

$2.00 A$2.87

81.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.92

$1.19 A$1.70

12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.76

$31.53 A$45.29

-14.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.19 A$1.70

-0.84%

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

$29.1K A$41.8K

$20.5K A$29.5K

41.88%

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

$23.0K A$33.0K

$20.2K A$29.0K

13.72%

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

$151 A$217

$203 A$292

-25.89%

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

$21.41 A$30.75

$11.21 A$16.10

90.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.8

$40.76 A$58.6

26.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$71.5

$26.70 A$38.36

86.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$23.05

$26.20 A$37.63

-38.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.49

$12.95 A$18.60

26.33%

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

$1,733 A$2,489

$1,243 A$1,786

39.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.2K

$3,866 A$5,553

390.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$99.6

$31.24 A$44.87

121.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$77.5

$47.46 A$68.2

13.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$85.5 A$123

24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$67.0 A$96.2

55.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,214

$992 A$1,425

55.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,714

$809 A$1,162

47.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,304

$1,488 A$2,138

101.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,869

$1,360 A$1,953

46.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.4K

$6,423 A$9,225

12.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,106

$5,264 A$7,561

20.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,254

$1,801 A$2,587

141.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.92

4.56%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Last update for Caboolture: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,541 in Melbourne versus $992 in Caboolture. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 142% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Melbourne versus $45.00 in Caboolture. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $305 – making Caboolture the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Caboolture: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 34% more than Caboolture, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,653 per month in Melbourne and $2,725 in Caboolture. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caboolture, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,733 per month in Melbourne and $1,243 in Caboolture. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Caboolture, where all-in costs run around $1,816, than in Melbourne at $2,435. In Caboolture it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Caboolture – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Caboolture. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.