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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $2,740 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,751 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 40% more expensive than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Fort St John, BC 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.71

$13.92 CA$19.52

39.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$43.98 CA$61.7

76.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.10

$9.45 CA$13.24

4.23%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.33

$4.42 CA$6.20

-15.61%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$1.86 CA$2.61

40.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$1.31 CA$1.84

74.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.53

$6.68 CA$9.37

10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.93

$5.59 CA$7.84

24.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$2.38 CA$3.33

-36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$3.40 CA$4.77

-24.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$3.81 CA$5.34

-38.58%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$3.91 CA$5.48

24.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.49

$6.51 CA$9.13

33.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$12.39 CA$17.37

-25.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.88

$19.09 CA$26.77

-23.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$5.25 CA$7.35

-36.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$0.67 CA$0.94

319.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.98 CA$5.58

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.59 CA$5.03

10.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$5.23 CA$7.33

-48.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.87 CA$4.02

-22.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.46 CA$3.44

-10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$2.19 CA$3.07

-25.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.74

$14.61 CA$20.48

118.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.93

$21.01 CA$29.46

-33.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$2.86 CA$4.00

63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.21

$3.08 CA$4.32

63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.01

$1.49 CA$2.09

134.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$28.99 CA$40.64

316.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$7.23 CA$10.13

-50.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.07 CA$1.50

30.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.37

$25.59 CA$35.88

7.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.26 CA$1.77

-8.73%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$25.0K CA$35.0K

16.80%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

13.03%

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

$154 A$220

$87.8 CA$123

75.30%

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

$20.93 A$29.97

$103 CA$144

-79.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$66.2 CA$92.9

-22.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$56.6 CA$79.3

-13.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.25

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.87

$11.09 CA$15.55

44.00%

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

$1,765 A$2,527

$746 CA$1,047

136.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.9K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

63.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.0

$72.7 CA$102

-7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$47.98 CA$67.3

13.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$83.6 CA$117

26.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$148 CA$207

-29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,255

$578 CA$811

172.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,726

$541 CA$759

122.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,354

$1,340 CA$1,879

126.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,895

$1,094 CA$1,534

84.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,192

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,297

$3,079 CA$4,317

42.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

7.45

-16.91%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 43% 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: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $411, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $578 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 $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,420 per month in Melbourne versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,420 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 40% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.