Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Canberra Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Canberra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $2,482 in Canberra, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $3,566 in Canberra, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $4,650 in Canberra, rent included.

Melbourne is about 3% cheaper than Canberra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Melbourne and Canberra sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Canberra by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.05 A$22.37

23.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$86.3 A$120

-8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.86 A$13.74

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.36 A$4.68

8.93%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.58 A$3.59

0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.32 A$3.24

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.45 A$8.99

11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.50 A$10.46

-6.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.42 A$1.98

2.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.68 A$3.74

-0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.85 A$2.57

26.49%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.10 A$5.72

17.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$10.02 A$13.96

-12.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$9.22 A$12.85

2.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$14.94 A$20.82

-3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.27 A$4.56

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.86 A$3.98

-3.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$3.06 A$4.26

-1.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.88 A$6.79

-19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.28 A$3.18

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.10 A$2.93

12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.38 A$3.31

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.29 A$1.80

26.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$30.41 A$42.38

6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.80 A$20.63

-4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$5.10 A$7.10

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$6.11 A$8.51

-17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$3.26 A$4.55

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$120 A$168

-0.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$4.08 A$5.69

-14.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.72 A$2.39

-21.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$40.63 A$56.6

-33.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.15 A$1.60

3.48%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.7K A$40.0K

2.51%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.6K A$31.5K

4.14%

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

$150 A$209

$222 A$310

-32.56%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$30.13 A$41.99

-29.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$52.1 A$72.7

-3.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$60.0 A$83.6

-18.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$20.75 A$28.92

-21.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.59 A$18.93

20.90%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,763 A$2,456

0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$13.4K A$18.7K

43.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$70.6 A$98.3

-3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$56.7 A$79.0

-5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$99.8 A$139

6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$115 A$161

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,548 A$2,157

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,141 A$1,589

4.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,855 A$3,978

6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,754 A$2,444

13.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$8,990 A$12.5K

-17.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$6,079 A$8,471

7.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,626 A$6,446

-2.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.29

-1.59%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,548 in Canberra. 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 3% higher in Canberra, 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 $79.0 in Melbourne versus $86.0 in Canberra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $359 – 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 Canberra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne, $2,482 in Canberra – roughly 3% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $3,723 in Canberra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,416 in Melbourne and $2,482 in Canberra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Melbourne. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,416 in Melbourne and $2,482 in Canberra. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Melbourne – 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 Melbourne. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.