Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Carlton Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Carlton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,323 in Carlton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,397 in Carlton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,472 in Carlton.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 25% more expensive than in Carlton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Carlton 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$17.97 A$25.34

0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$72.4 A$102

17.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$10.42 A$14.69

16.22%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$3.08 A$4.34

33.77%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$2.64 A$3.73

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$2.18 A$3.07

16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$6.89 A$9.72

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$6.64 A$9.36

28.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.31 A$1.85

23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$2.04 A$2.88

56.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$1.39 A$1.97

105.04%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$3.39 A$4.78

71.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$10.93 A$15.42

0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$9.66 A$13.63

3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$15.48 A$21.83

-0.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$3.35 A$4.73

31.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$2.83 A$3.99

12.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$3.29 A$4.65

-0.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$4.75 A$6.70

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$2.49 A$3.51

24.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$2.22 A$3.13

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.23 A$3.14

11.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$0.87 A$1.23

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$25.25 A$35.61

81.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$10.64 A$15.01

18.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$5.54 A$7.81

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$5.31 A$7.49

-0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$3.25 A$4.59

19.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$84.6 A$119

65.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$3.67 A$5.17

26.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.27 A$1.79

11.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$27.37 A$38.60

11.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$1.39 A$1.96

-0.72%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$18.2K A$25.7K

59.01%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$14.3K A$20.2K

89.74%

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

$238 A$335

$94.9 A$134

150.73%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$28.80 A$40.62

-3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$47.15 A$66.5

22.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$31.89 A$44.97

72.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$18.60 A$26.23

19.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$13.32 A$18.78

34.16%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$2,163 A$3,050

13.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$13.1K A$18.5K

145.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$81.0 A$114

0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$52.4 A$73.9

-1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$72.7 A$103

64.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,455 A$2,052

21.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$1,275 A$1,798

12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$2,278 A$3,212

51.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,846 A$2,604

38.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$6,371 A$8,985

15.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$4,980 A$7,023

38.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$5,844 A$8,242

-25.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.87

0.34%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Carlton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,455 in Carlton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlton pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $72.0 in Carlton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $342 per month, with Carlton cheaper across the board.

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 Carlton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Carlton differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,323 including rent). Carlton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Carlton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,455 in Carlton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $2,163 in Carlton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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. Carlton 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 Carlton 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 Carlton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.