Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Epping Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Epping

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,173 in Epping.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,507 in Epping.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,841 in Epping.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 11% more expensive than Epping, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Epping 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.45 A$22.93

20.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$57.5 A$80.1

36.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$10.61 A$14.79

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.01 A$4.19

21.59%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.23 A$3.10

16.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.19 A$3.05

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.35 A$10.24

-2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.57 A$10.54

-7.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.87 A$2.60

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.62 A$3.65

1.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.49 A$3.47

-6.02%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$5.15 A$7.18

-6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$9.31 A$12.97

-5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$10.74 A$14.97

-12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$14.38 A$20.04

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.44 A$4.80

-3.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.62 A$3.65

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.31 A$3.21

29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$3.22 A$4.48

22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.98 A$4.15

-10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.19 A$3.05

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.83 A$2.55

16.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.85 A$2.58

-11.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$25.77 A$35.91

25.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$8.66 A$12.07

62.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.17 A$5.80

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$4.57 A$6.37

10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$3.17 A$4.41

10.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.6 A$90.0

85.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.52 A$4.90

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$0.99 A$1.38

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$34.12 A$47.55

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.37 A$1.91

-13.14%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$19.7K A$27.4K

49.38%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$17.0K A$23.7K

38.35%

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

$150 A$209

$129 A$180

16.20%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$29.03 A$40.46

-27.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$43.74 A$61.0

14.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.35 A$67.4

1.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.67 A$21.84

4.47%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.77 A$17.80

28.66%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,695 A$2,362

4.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.2K A$17.0K

57.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$58.3 A$81.2

17.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$45.85 A$63.9

16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$103 A$143

3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$105 A$147

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,276 A$1,779

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,052 A$1,467

13.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,570 A$3,582

18.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$2,372 A$3,306

-16.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,668 A$7,898

15.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,283 A$5,969

5.34%

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 Epping: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,276 in Epping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 5% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $57.0 in Epping for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $349 per month, with Epping 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 Epping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Epping wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Epping the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Melbourne pays 5% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,276 in Epping. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Epping – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,416 per month in Melbourne versus $2,173 in Epping – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,173 in Epping versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Epping but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Epping 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 Epping 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 Epping gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.