Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Canterbury-Bankstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Canterbury-Bankstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,689 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,880 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $5,071 in Canterbury-Bankstown.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Canterbury-Bankstown 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.80 A$24.81

3.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$92.6 A$129

-6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.57 A$14.74

17.88%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.13 A$5.76

0.97%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.93 A$4.08

7.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.28 A$3.18

16.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.07 A$11.25

24.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.11 A$9.92

19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.75 A$2.44

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.20 A$4.47

2.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.45 A$3.41

23.27%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.74 A$8.01

4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$12.59 A$17.55

-12.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.61 A$13.39

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$16.56 A$23.09

-4.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.81 A$5.31

15.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.17 A$4.43

1.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.36 A$4.68

2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$5.16 A$7.20

-4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$3.24 A$4.52

-3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.52 A$3.51

5.56%

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

$1.33 A$1.85

27.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$45.11 A$62.9

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.10 A$19.65

-10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$4.96 A$6.91

9.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.51 A$7.69

-3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.17 A$4.42

27.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$85.7 A$120

65.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.54 A$4.94

33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.65 A$2.31

-14.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.85 A$58.4

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.39 A$1.94

2.88%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.0K A$39.0K

5.23%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.2K A$42.1K

-10.63%

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

$239 A$334

$189 A$263

26.88%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$28.16 A$39.26

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$56.4 A$78.6

1.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.4 A$78.7

-1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.25 A$25.44

24.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$18.03 A$25.13

-0.78%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,297 A$3,203

6.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$20.8K A$29.0K

51.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$77.8 A$108

6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$72.0 A$100

-27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$125 A$174

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$137 A$192

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,443 A$2,012

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,292 A$1,801

12.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,281 A$3,181

56.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,854 A$2,584

38.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,646 A$9,266

9.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,296 A$7,384

30.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Canterbury-Bankstown: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,443 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $93.0 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $399, with Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Canterbury-Bankstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Canterbury-Bankstown differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,689 including rent). Canterbury-Bankstown 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 $4,034 in Canterbury-Bankstown 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 $1,443 in Canterbury-Bankstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Canterbury-Bankstown – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $86.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,689 in Canterbury-Bankstown – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Canterbury-Bankstown 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.