Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Cairns Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Cairns

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $2,317 in Cairns, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $3,472 in Cairns, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $4,627 in Cairns, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 4% more than Cairns, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Melbourne and Cairns sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Cairns by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$11.59 A$16.15

70.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$81.4 A$113

-3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$10.88 A$15.16

-10.85%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.75 A$5.23

-2.40%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.84 A$3.96

-8.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.30 A$3.21

1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.43 A$8.96

11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.96 A$9.70

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.74 A$2.42

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.44 A$3.40

9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.68 A$3.74

-12.69%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.00 A$5.58

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.18 A$11.40

7.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$9.26 A$12.90

1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$12.76 A$17.78

13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$2.98 A$4.15

11.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.23 A$3.10

24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.75 A$3.83

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$7.39 A$10.30

-46.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.23 A$3.11

20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.33 A$3.25

1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.27 A$3.16

-5.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$2.86 A$3.99

-43.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$28.71 A$40.01

12.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$11.50 A$16.02

22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.40 A$4.74

36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$3.49 A$4.86

44.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$3.27 A$4.56

6.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.9 A$90.5

84.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$6.64 A$9.26

-47.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$3.19 A$4.44

-57.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.95 A$47.31

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.10 A$1.53

8.18%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$22.8K A$31.8K

29.05%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$19.1K A$26.7K

23.15%

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

$150 A$209

$149 A$207

0.77%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$37.35 A$52.1

-43.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$58.6 A$81.6

-14.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$38.65 A$53.9

27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.95 A$22.23

2.63%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.24 A$18.45

24.09%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,636 A$2,280

7.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.9K A$16.6K

61.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$83.6 A$116

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$66.6 A$92.8

-19.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$101 A$141

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$139 A$194

-24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,230 A$1,714

27.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,111 A$1,548

7.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,987 A$2,769

53.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,866 A$2,601

6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,707 A$9,347

10.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,132 A$7,151

27.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,549 A$6,338

-0.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.96

-11.06%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cairns: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,230 in Cairns. 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 1% higher in Cairns, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne versus $81.0 in Cairns. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $356 – making Melbourne 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 Cairns: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 4% more than Cairns, 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 $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $3,476 in Cairns. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Melbourne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne and $81.0 in Cairns. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cairns, where all-in costs run around $2,317, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Cairns it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cairns – 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 Cairns. 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.