Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Collie Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Collie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,910 per month in Melbourne vs $2,674 in Collie, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Melbourne vs $3,862 in Collie, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,905 per month in Melbourne vs $5,049 in Collie, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 9% more than Collie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Collie sit above the global median – Melbourne by 111%, Collie by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$21.83 A$30.44

-15.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$85.0 A$119

1.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.74 A$14.97

16.01%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.54 A$6.33

-8.15%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.90 A$4.04

8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.36 A$3.29

12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.47 A$11.81

18.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$8.72 A$12.16

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.78 A$2.48

-9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.16 A$4.41

4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.01 A$2.80

50.25%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.51 A$7.68

8.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$8.95 A$12.48

23.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.28 A$12.94

6.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$14.59 A$20.34

8.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.70 A$6.55

-6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.21 A$4.48

0.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.38 A$4.71

2.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$5.32 A$7.42

-7.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.85 A$3.97

10.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.02 A$2.82

31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.28 A$3.18

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.34 A$1.87

26.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$42.76 A$59.6

8.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$12.75 A$17.78

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$4.54 A$6.33

19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.66 A$5.10

45.63%

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

$86.0 A$120

65.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.68 A$5.13

27.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.43 A$1.99

-1.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.41 A$57.7

-24.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.34 A$1.87

6.72%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.6K A$39.9K

2.91%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$31.2K A$43.4K

-13.49%

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

$239 A$334

$209 A$291

14.66%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$33.17 A$46.25

-15.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$64.9 A$90.5

-11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.6 A$78.9

-1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.06 A$25.19

25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$17.15 A$23.90

4.31%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,385 A$3,325

2.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$24.1K A$33.6K

30.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$79.2 A$110

4.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$68.2 A$95.1

-23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$121 A$168

-0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$159 A$221

-13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,441 A$2,009

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,289 A$1,798

13.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,340 A$3,262

52.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,872 A$2,610

37.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,745 A$9,403

7.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,222 A$7,281

32.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Collie: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,441 in Collie. 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 $85.0 in Collie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $373 – making Collie 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 Collie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne, $2,674 in Collie – roughly 9% 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 $4,011 in Collie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,456 per month in Melbourne and $2,385 in Collie. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,910 in Melbourne and $2,674 in Collie. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Collie – 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 Collie. 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.