Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Exmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Exmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Melbourne vs $2,287 in Exmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,689 per month in Melbourne vs $3,267 in Exmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,896 per month in Melbourne vs $4,248 in Exmouth, rent included.

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

Both Melbourne and Exmouth sit above the global median – Melbourne by 85%, Exmouth by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 A$26.94

$16.02 A$22.43

20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 A$110

$77.3 A$108

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 A$13.41

$10.05 A$14.07

-4.68%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.09

$3.37 A$4.72

7.72%

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

$2.51 A$3.52

$2.50 A$3.50

0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.34

$2.20 A$3.08

8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 A$9.96

$6.47 A$9.05

9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 A$10.12

$6.98 A$9.77

3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.50 A$2.10

0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.66

$2.32 A$3.24

12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.04 A$2.85

14.71%

Eggs

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.37 A$6.12

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.40

$8.49 A$11.89

4.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 A$13.08

$8.59 A$12.02

8.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 A$20.73

$13.84 A$19.37

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.21 A$4.50

2.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$2.77 A$3.88

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.12

$2.90 A$4.06

1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 A$5.67

$4.07 A$5.70

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.50 A$3.50

7.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.26

$2.18 A$3.05

6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.11

$2.15 A$3.02

3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.54 A$2.15

5.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.09 A$46.32

$31.31 A$43.83

5.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 A$19.99

$14.08 A$19.71

1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.69 A$6.56

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.40

$5.39 A$7.54

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 A$4.91

$2.53 A$3.54

38.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$169

$64.5 A$90.3

87.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.91

$3.65 A$5.11

-4.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.93

$1.56 A$2.18

-11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 A$38.55

$34.21 A$47.90

-19.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.64

$1.15 A$1.60

1.74%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

0.03%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$22.2K A$31.1K

6.93%

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

$153 A$214

$185 A$259

-17.20%

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

$21.03 A$29.44

$27.59 A$38.63

-23.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 A$70.3

$53.2 A$74.5

-5.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 A$70.0

$49.46 A$69.2

1.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$22.74

$15.75 A$22.05

3.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 A$22.60

$13.10 A$18.35

23.21%

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

$1,768 A$2,476

$1,658 A$2,322

6.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.8K

$12.1K A$17.0K

57.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 A$95.8

$68.2 A$95.5

0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 A$73.9

$50.3 A$70.4

4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$150

$99.8 A$140

7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$106 A$149

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 A$2,184

$1,259 A$1,763

23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 A$1,699

$1,047 A$1,465

15.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 A$4,213

$1,996 A$2,794

50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 A$2,778

$1,660 A$2,324

19.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,460 A$10.4K

$6,007 A$8,409

24.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,569 A$9,197

$4,729 A$6,620

38.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,305 A$6,027

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Exmouth: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,560 in Melbourne versus $1,259 in Exmouth. 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 $78 in Melbourne versus $77 in Exmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $340 – making Exmouth 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 Exmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 9% more than Exmouth, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Melbourne and $3,430 in Exmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,768 per month in Melbourne and $1,658 in Exmouth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Exmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,287, than in Melbourne at $2,482. In Exmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Exmouth – 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 Exmouth. 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.