Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Cranbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Cranbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,529 in Cranbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,645 in Cranbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,760 in Cranbourne.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 15% more expensive than in Cranbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Cranbourne 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$8.75 A$12.35

107.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$85.4 A$120

-0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$12.65 A$17.84

-4.27%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$2.82 A$3.97

46.10%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$2.92 A$4.12

9.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$1.64 A$2.31

55.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$7.31 A$10.31

33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$7.90 A$11.14

8.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$2.70 A$3.80

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$3.46 A$4.88

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$3.82 A$5.38

-25.39%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$5.73 A$8.09

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$10.17 A$14.34

8.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$10.89 A$15.36

-7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$12.74 A$17.96

21.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$3.31 A$4.67

32.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$3.43 A$4.84

-7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$4.24 A$5.99

-22.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$3.55 A$5.01

37.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$3.54 A$5.00

-12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$2.22 A$3.13

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$1.64 A$2.31

51.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$1.62 A$2.28

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$51.8 A$73.1

-11.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$23.70 A$33.42

-46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$8.95 A$12.62

-37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$5.37 A$7.58

-1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$1.40 A$1.97

177.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$84.1 A$119

66.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$6.65 A$9.39

-30.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.49 A$2.09

-5.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$24.89 A$35.10

23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$1.32 A$1.86

4.55%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$27.1K A$38.3K

6.65%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$30.4K A$42.9K

-10.56%

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

$238 A$335

$267 A$377

-10.98%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$28.11 A$39.65

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$23.83 A$33.61

142.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$39.79 A$56.1

38.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$18.06 A$25.47

23.53%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$9.37 A$13.22

90.72%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$2,405 A$3,392

1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$21.5K A$30.4K

49.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$77.8 A$110

4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$28.52 A$40.22

81.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$110 A$155

8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$126 A$178

6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,292 A$1,823

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$1,333 A$1,881

7.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$1,930 A$2,722

78.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,630 A$2,298

57.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$5,753 A$8,113

27.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$4,927 A$6,949

40.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$1,756 A$2,477

147.80%

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 Cranbourne: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,292 in Cranbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 148% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $85.0 in Cranbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $439 per month, with Melbourne 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 Cranbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Cranbourne differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,529 including rent). Cranbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 148% higher in Melbourne, 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: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,292 in Cranbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $2,405 in Cranbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,529 in Cranbourne versus $2,905 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cranbourne but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Cranbourne 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 Cranbourne 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 Cranbourne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.