Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,435 in Melbourne versus $2,207 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Melbourne versus $3,233 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Melbourne versus $4,258 in Forbes.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 83% above, Forbes 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.99

$15.99 A$22.97

21.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$112

$76.8 A$110

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.13

$9.66 A$13.88

1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.30

$3.36 A$4.83

9.82%

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

$2.54 A$3.65

$2.58 A$3.71

-1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.37

$2.17 A$3.11

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.58

$6.37 A$9.15

15.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.20

$7.01 A$10.08

1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

$1.43 A$2.05

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.70

$2.32 A$3.33

11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.36

$1.96 A$2.81

19.39%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.79

$4.28 A$6.15

10.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.99

$8.60 A$12.35

5.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$13.10

$8.56 A$12.29

6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.90

$13.71 A$19.69

6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.69

$3.21 A$4.61

1.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.82 A$4.05

-0.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.17

$2.86 A$4.11

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.79

$4.20 A$6.03

-4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.95

$2.53 A$3.63

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.37

$2.08 A$2.98

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.04

$2.11 A$3.04

0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.38

$1.51 A$2.16

9.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.56

$31.46 A$45.19

5.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.71

$14.77 A$21.22

-7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.77

$4.71 A$6.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.23

$5.33 A$7.65

-5.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.10

$2.59 A$3.71

37.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$174

$64.8 A$93.1

87.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.20

$3.49 A$5.02

3.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.92

$1.54 A$2.21

-12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.76

$33.38 A$47.94

-19.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.18 A$1.70

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

$29.1K A$41.8K

0.05%

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

$23.0K A$33.0K

$22.5K A$32.4K

2.01%

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

$151 A$217

$183 A$262

-17.39%

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

$21.41 A$30.75

$27.76 A$39.87

-22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.8

$52.3 A$75.2

-1.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$71.5

$48.36 A$69.5

2.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$23.05

$15.61 A$22.42

2.82%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.49

$12.78 A$18.36

28.01%

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

$1,733 A$2,489

$1,658 A$2,382

4.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.2K

$11.9K A$17.0K

59.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$99.6

$69.3 A$99.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$77.5

$51.1 A$73.3

5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$99.4 A$143

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$107 A$154

-2.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,214

$1,259 A$1,809

22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,714

$1,062 A$1,525

12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,304

$2,037 A$2,925

47.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,869

$1,705 A$2,449

17.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.4K

$5,326 A$7,650

36.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,106

$5,621 A$8,074

12.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,254

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 27, 2026

Last update for Forbes: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,541 in Melbourne and $1,259 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $339 per month, with Forbes 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Forbes differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,435 vs $2,207 including rent). Forbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,653 in Melbourne and $3,311 in Forbes 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: $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,259 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,435 per month in Melbourne versus $2,207 in Forbes – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Forbes runs roughly 87% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,207 in Forbes versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Forbes but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Forbes 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 Forbes 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 Forbes 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.