Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Coffs Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Coffs Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,465 in Melbourne versus $2,324 in Coffs Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,636 in Melbourne versus $3,403 in Coffs Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,806 in Melbourne versus $4,483 in Coffs Harbour.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 6% more expensive than Coffs Harbour, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 84% above, Coffs Harbour 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 A$27.07

$16.21 A$22.69

19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 A$110

$97.2 A$136

-19.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 A$14.04

$9.51 A$13.31

5.47%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.23 A$4.52

12.07%

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

$2.61 A$3.66

$2.71 A$3.79

-3.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.23

$1.97 A$2.76

17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 A$10.40

$6.65 A$9.32

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 A$10.07

$7.62 A$10.66

-5.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.49 A$2.09

-2.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.57 A$3.59

3.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$2.28 A$3.19

1.75%

Eggs

$4.68 A$6.56

$3.20 A$4.48

46.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 A$12.87

$7.13 A$9.98

29.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 A$13.10

$6.58 A$9.22

42.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 A$20.56

$12.50 A$17.50

17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.49

$3.53 A$4.95

-9.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 A$3.90

$2.79 A$3.91

-0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.14

$3.68 A$5.15

-19.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.73

$3.78 A$5.29

8.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$1.31 A$1.83

106.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.29

$2.38 A$3.34

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$1.99 A$2.79

11.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.32

$2.45 A$3.43

-32.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.79 A$45.91

$21.16 A$29.63

54.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 A$20.42

$14.17 A$19.84

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.61

$6.22 A$8.71

-24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 A$7.13

$6.44 A$9.02

-20.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 A$5.05

$4.41 A$6.17

-18.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 A$165

$64.7 A$90.5

81.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.15

$2.04 A$2.86

80.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.95

$1.40 A$1.95

-0.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 A$38.61

$33.02 A$46.23

-16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.14 A$1.60

4.39%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

$29.1K A$40.8K

0.49%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$22.0K A$30.9K

7.47%

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

$152 A$212

$161 A$226

-5.92%

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

$21.15 A$29.62

$9.97 A$13.96

112.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 A$69.9

$51.3 A$71.8

-2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.19 A$68.9

$49.49 A$69.3

-0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.15 A$22.62

$15.84 A$22.18

1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 A$22.38

$13.22 A$18.51

20.95%

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

$1,756 A$2,458

$2,146 A$3,004

-18.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$7,063 A$9,889

172.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 A$93.6

$60.9 A$85.3

9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 A$75.5

$48.54 A$68.0

11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$89.1 A$125

18.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$144

$125 A$175

-17.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 A$2,196

$1,298 A$1,817

20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 A$1,656

$1,173 A$1,643

0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,038 A$4,254

$1,986 A$2,781

52.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,831

$1,835 A$2,569

10.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,557 A$10.6K

$3,699 A$5,179

104.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,138

$3,675 A$5,144

77.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,490 A$6,287

$3,738 A$5,233

20.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.35

-2.52%

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

Last update for Melbourne: April 25, 2026

Last update for Coffs Harbour: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,568 in Melbourne and $1,298 in Coffs Harbour. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Melbourne vs $97.0 in Coffs Harbour. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $341, with Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Coffs Harbour is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Melbourne pays 20% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,568 in Melbourne versus $1,298 in Coffs Harbour. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Coffs Harbour runs roughly 82% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,756 in Melbourne versus $2,146 in Coffs Harbour. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,324 in Coffs Harbour versus $2,465 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Coffs Harbour but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour 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 Coffs Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.