Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Castle Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Castle Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,910 per month in Melbourne vs $2,571 in Castle Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Melbourne vs $3,695 in Castle Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,905 per month in Melbourne vs $4,818 in Castle Hill, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 13% more than Castle Hill, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Castle Hill sit above the global median – Melbourne by 111%, Castle Hill by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$15.08 A$21.02

22.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$68.7 A$95.8

25.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$11.11 A$15.49

12.15%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$3.98 A$5.55

4.77%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.01 A$4.19

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.33 A$3.25

13.73%

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

$7.57 A$10.56

12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.70 A$2.36

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.40 A$3.35

37.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$4.21 A$5.87

-28.27%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.85 A$8.15

2.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.80 A$13.66

12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.48 A$13.21

4.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$15.15 A$21.13

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.63 A$5.06

21.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.15 A$4.39

2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.43 A$4.78

0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.89 A$6.82

0.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.72 A$3.79

15.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.41 A$3.36

10.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.51 A$3.50

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.71 A$2.38

-1.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$38.70 A$54.0

19.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.23 A$19.84

-11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.02 A$7.00

7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.41 A$7.54

-1.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.08 A$4.29

30.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$86.3 A$120

64.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.53 A$4.92

33.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.66 A$2.31

-15.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.30 A$57.6

-24.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.31 A$1.82

9.16%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.6K A$38.5K

6.73%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$31.0K A$43.3K

-13.12%

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

$239 A$334

$210 A$293

13.88%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$28.46 A$39.68

-0.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$57.1 A$79.6

0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.9 A$79.3

-1.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.55 A$25.86

22.48%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$15.69 A$21.88

14.02%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,171 A$3,027

13.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$20.7K A$28.9K

52.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$80.5 A$112

2.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$55.8 A$77.8

-6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$115 A$160

4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$125 A$174

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,447 A$2,017

22.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,289 A$1,797

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,274 A$3,170

56.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,907 A$2,658

34.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,533 A$9,109

11.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,170 A$7,208

33.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Castle Hill: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,447 in Castle Hill. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Melbourne versus $69.0 in Castle Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $387 – making Castle Hill 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 Castle Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne, $2,571 in Castle Hill – roughly 13% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,366 per month in Melbourne and $3,856 in Castle Hill. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Melbourne and $69.0 in Castle Hill. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,910 in Melbourne and $2,571 in Castle Hill. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,910 in Melbourne and $2,571 in Castle Hill. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Castle Hill – 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 Castle Hill. 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.