Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Derby Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Derby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,267 in Derby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,274 in Derby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,281 in Derby.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 7% more expensive than Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Derby 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.49 A$22.98

19.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.3 A$109

0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.94 A$13.86

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.53 A$4.92

3.68%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.50 A$3.49

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.20 A$3.06

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.41 A$8.93

11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.08 A$9.86

-1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.49 A$2.07

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.36 A$3.30

12.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.94 A$2.70

20.62%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.36 A$6.08

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.42 A$11.73

4.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.26 A$11.51

14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.86 A$19.32

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.87 A$3.99

-3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.86 A$3.98

4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.15 A$5.78

-4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.39 A$3.34

12.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.11 A$2.94

11.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.19 A$3.05

-2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.51 A$2.11

7.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.22 A$43.50

3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$13.03 A$18.16

8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.55 A$6.34

1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.46 A$7.60

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.64 A$3.67

32.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.6 A$90.1

85.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.61 A$5.03

-3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.60 A$2.23

-15.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$32.95 A$45.92

-18.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.14 A$1.58

4.39%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.9K A$40.2K

1.98%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.3K A$31.1K

5.64%

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

$150 A$209

$183 A$255

-17.94%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.50 A$38.32

-23.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$52.5 A$73.2

-4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.50 A$67.6

1.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.51 A$21.61

5.54%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.96 A$18.06

26.77%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,652 A$2,302

6.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.9K A$16.6K

61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$67.9 A$94.6

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$50.3 A$70.0

6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$98.7 A$138

7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$105 A$147

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,284 A$1,789

22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,055 A$1,470

13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,006 A$2,796

51.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,656 A$2,308

20.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,597 A$7,800

31.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,961 A$6,913

31.57%

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 Derby: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,284 in Derby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Derby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $336 per month, with Derby 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 Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Derby differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,267 including rent). Derby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,624 in Melbourne and $3,401 in Derby 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,284 in Derby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Derby – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,267 in Derby versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Derby but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Derby 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 Derby 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 Derby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.