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: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,608 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,730 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,852 in Forbes.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 12% more expensive than in Forbes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Forbes 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.66 A$24.62

4.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$86.7 A$121

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.74 A$14.98

16.01%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.14 A$5.77

0.72%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.03 A$4.23

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.29 A$3.19

15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.82 A$10.91

28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.50 A$10.45

13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.66 A$2.32

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.82 A$3.94

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.36 A$3.28

27.97%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.16 A$7.20

16.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.70 A$13.53

14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.34 A$13.02

6.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$15.37 A$21.44

3.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.73 A$5.21

18.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.08 A$4.30

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.35 A$4.67

2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.90 A$6.83

0.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.61 A$3.64

20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.47 A$3.44

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.53 A$3.53

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.65 A$2.30

2.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$39.79 A$55.5

16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.53 A$20.26

-13.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.21 A$7.26

3.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.54 A$7.72

-3.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.15 A$4.39

27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$86.1 A$120

64.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.54 A$4.93

33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.60 A$2.23

-11.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.87 A$58.4

-25.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.30 A$1.81

10.00%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$27.9K A$38.8K

5.73%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$31.2K A$43.5K

-13.65%

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

$239 A$334

$210 A$293

13.73%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$27.37 A$38.16

3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$57.7 A$80.4

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.4 A$78.6

-0.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.63 A$25.97

21.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$16.06 A$22.39

11.39%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,166 A$3,020

13.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$21.1K A$29.4K

49.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$79.7 A$111

3.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$54.7 A$76.3

-4.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$116 A$161

3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$129 A$180

5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,449 A$2,020

22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,311 A$1,828

11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,339 A$3,261

52.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,869 A$2,606

37.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,620 A$9,230

9.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,241 A$7,306

31.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Forbes: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,449 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $87.0 in Forbes. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $381, with Forbes 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Forbes differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,608 including rent). Forbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $3,912 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,449 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,608 in Forbes – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Forbes runs roughly 65% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Forbes is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.