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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,200 in Derby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,280 in Derby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,361 in Derby.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 10% more expensive than in Derby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Derby 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$16.44 A$23.56

17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$77.1 A$110

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$9.53 A$13.65

3.36%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.47 A$4.98

7.49%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.61 A$3.73

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.20 A$3.15

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.36 A$9.11

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.15 A$10.25

-2.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.42 A$2.03

5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.31 A$3.31

11.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.97 A$2.82

18.78%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.25 A$6.09

14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.30 A$11.89

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.35 A$11.97

10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$13.69 A$19.61

6.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.16 A$4.53

5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.74 A$3.92

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.02 A$4.32

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$4.21 A$6.04

-5.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.52 A$3.61

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.11 A$3.03

5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.11 A$3.03

3.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.56 A$2.24

5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$31.30 A$44.84

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$13.55 A$19.41

2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.49 A$6.43

4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.27 A$7.55

-4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.59 A$3.71

35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$64.5 A$92.4

87.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.59 A$5.15

-0.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.61 A$2.31

-13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$33.24 A$47.62

-17.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.19 A$1.71

-3.36%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.7K A$41.1K

1.59%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$22.6K A$32.4K

1.59%

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

$154 A$220

$183 A$262

-15.82%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$26.97 A$38.64

-22.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$52.9 A$75.8

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$49.01 A$70.2

-0.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.92 A$22.80

2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$12.95 A$18.55

23.32%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,647 A$2,360

7.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$12.0K A$17.2K

62.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$67.2 A$96.2

-0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$51.1 A$73.2

6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$99.4 A$142

6.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$106 A$151

-1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,273 A$1,823

23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,077 A$1,543

12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$2,008 A$2,877

51.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,688 A$2,418

19.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$5,297 A$7,589

33.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$4,799 A$6,876

33.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Derby: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,273 in Derby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Derby. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $334, with Derby 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 Derby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Derby differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $2,200 including rent). Derby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,630 in Melbourne and $3,299 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,273 in Derby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $77.0 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,200 in Derby versus $2,420 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 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.