Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $3,062 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $4,115 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 44% more expensive than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Fort St John, BC 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$25.05

$17.82 CA$24.68

0.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$43.75 CA$60.6

93.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.10

$9.53 CA$13.19

28.65%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.90

$3.88 CA$5.37

8.76%

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

$3.16 A$4.40

$1.81 CA$2.51

74.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.72

$1.25 CA$1.73

112.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.93

$6.35 CA$8.80

57.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.32

$4.56 CA$6.32

93.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.30

$3.47 CA$4.81

-52.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.75

$2.94 CA$4.07

15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.89

$3.82 CA$5.29

-26.96%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.94

$4.03 CA$5.58

41.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.77

$12.07 CA$16.71

-6.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$13.58 CA$18.80

-28.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$22.02

$19.00 CA$26.30

-16.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.85

$6.02 CA$8.34

-30.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$0.68 CA$0.94

344.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.57

$3.76 CA$5.21

-13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.72

$3.63 CA$5.03

32.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.55

$2.78 CA$3.85

17.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.82 CA$3.90

-7.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.51

$2.08 CA$2.88

20.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.29

$2.47 CA$3.42

-33.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.3

$14.71 CA$20.37

213.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.83

$21.48 CA$29.74

-43.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.65

$5.15 CA$7.13

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.19

$5.73 CA$7.93

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.34

$1.43 CA$1.97

167.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

$28.62 CA$39.63

404.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$6.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.28 CA$1.78

14.06%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

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

$27.7K A$38.7K

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

$242 A$338

$128 CA$177

89.22%

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

$28.20 A$39.35

$100 CA$139

-71.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.8

$60.4 CA$83.6

-5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.4

$13.88 CA$19.21

304.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.29

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.96

$10.99 CA$15.22

62.78%

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

$2,443 A$3,410

$729 CA$1,009

235.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$115

$71.5 CA$99.0

14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.4

$47.09 CA$65.2

7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$107 CA$148

18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$193

$144 CA$199

-4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,475

$746 CA$1,033

137.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,992

$730 CA$1,011

95.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,889

$1,580 CA$2,188

121.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,512

$1,422 CA$1,969

76.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,375

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,249

$3,100 CA$4,293

44.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.1

-4.10%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $746 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 44% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $456, with Melbourne 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 Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort St John, BC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Melbourne, 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: $1,774 in Melbourne versus $746 in Fort St John, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort St John, BC – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,894 per month in Melbourne versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,894 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fort St John, BC but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC 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 Fort St John, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.