Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Denver Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Denver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $2,208 in Denver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $3,243 in Denver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $4,279 in Denver, rent included.

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

Both Melbourne and Denver sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Denver by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.23 A$22.61

21.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.3 A$108

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.65 A$13.45

0.52%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.51 A$4.89

4.27%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.52 A$3.52

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.11 A$2.94

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.53 A$9.09

9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.17 A$10.00

-2.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.47 A$2.05

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.42 A$3.38

9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.03 A$2.83

15.27%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.41 A$6.15

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.59 A$11.97

2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.54 A$11.90

10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.73 A$19.14

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.23 A$4.50

3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.73 A$3.81

1.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.90 A$4.03

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.03 A$5.62

-1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.41 A$3.35

11.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.18 A$3.04

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.11 A$2.94

1.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.51 A$2.10

7.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$30.68 A$42.75

5.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$15.80 A$22.02

-10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.49 A$6.26

3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.47 A$7.62

-7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.66 A$3.71

31.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.8 A$90.4

84.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.64 A$5.07

-3.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.60 A$2.24

-15.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.08 A$46.10

-18.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.13 A$1.58

5.31%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.9K A$40.3K

1.67%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.5K A$31.4K

4.77%

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

$150 A$209

$181 A$252

-17.16%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.90 A$38.87

-24.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$53.4 A$74.4

-5.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$49.31 A$68.7

-0.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.89 A$22.14

3.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.79 A$17.83

28.46%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,602 A$2,232

10.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.3K A$17.1K

56.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$67.9 A$94.6

0.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$49.67 A$69.2

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$98.2 A$137

8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$108 A$151

-3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,283 A$1,788

22.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,080 A$1,505

10.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,015 A$2,808

51.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,684 A$2,347

18.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,016 A$8,384

22.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,079 A$7,078

28.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Denver: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,283 in Denver. 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 $79.0 in Melbourne versus $77.0 in Denver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $342 – making Denver 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 Denver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne, $2,208 in Denver – roughly 9% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $3,312 in Denver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 85% less in Denver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,764 per month in Melbourne and $1,602 in Denver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Denver, where all-in costs run around $2,208, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Denver it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Denver – 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 Denver. 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.