Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Charleville Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Charleville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,435 in Melbourne versus $2,244 in Charleville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Melbourne versus $3,250 in Charleville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Melbourne versus $4,256 in Charleville.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Charleville, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 83% above, Charleville 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.74

$16.53 A$23.54

17.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$111

$76.9 A$110

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.01

$9.60 A$13.67

2.50%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.25

$3.36 A$4.78

9.82%

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

$2.54 A$3.62

$2.62 A$3.73

-3.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.34

$2.14 A$3.04

9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.48

$6.46 A$9.19

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.11

$7.05 A$10.03

0.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.13

$1.43 A$2.03

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.67

$2.43 A$3.46

6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.33

$2.01 A$2.86

16.42%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.73

$4.23 A$6.02

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.88

$8.61 A$12.26

5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$12.98

$8.33 A$11.85

9.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.71

$13.85 A$19.71

5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.65

$3.35 A$4.77

-2.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.99

$2.87 A$4.09

-2.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.13

$2.96 A$4.21

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.74

$4.14 A$5.90

-2.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.92

$2.51 A$3.58

9.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.34

$2.17 A$3.09

7.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.01

$2.19 A$3.11

-3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.36

$1.51 A$2.15

9.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.13

$30.99 A$44.11

6.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.53

$13.79 A$19.63

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.70

$4.59 A$6.54

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.16

$5.20 A$7.40

-3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.06

$2.55 A$3.63

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$66.2 A$94.3

83.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.15

$3.56 A$5.07

1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.90

$1.59 A$2.27

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.41

$34.01 A$48.41

-20.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.68

$1.14 A$1.63

3.51%

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

$29.1K A$41.4K

$28.6K A$40.7K

1.79%

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

$23.0K A$32.7K

$22.4K A$31.9K

2.47%

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

$151 A$215

$185 A$263

-18.29%

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

$21.41 A$30.47

$26.95 A$38.36

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.1

$53.0 A$75.5

-3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$70.8

$49.14 A$70.0

1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$22.84

$15.44 A$21.98

3.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.28

$13.25 A$18.87

23.47%

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

$1,733 A$2,466

$1,637 A$2,330

5.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.0K

$11.8K A$16.8K

60.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$98.7

$67.3 A$95.8

3.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$76.8

$49.93 A$71.1

8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$152

$97.9 A$139

8.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$106 A$151

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,194

$1,271 A$1,810

21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,698

$1,052 A$1,498

13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,265

$1,995 A$2,840

50.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,843

$1,710 A$2,434

16.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.3K

$6,600 A$9,394

9.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,023

$4,765 A$6,782

33.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,197

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Last update for Charleville: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,541 in Melbourne and $1,271 in Charleville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Charleville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $339 per month, with Charleville 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 Charleville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charleville is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,653 in Melbourne and $3,366 in Charleville 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: $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,271 in Charleville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,435 per month in Melbourne versus $2,244 in Charleville – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Charleville runs roughly 83% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,244 in Charleville versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Charleville but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Charleville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Charleville 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 Charleville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.