Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Frankston Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Frankston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,910 per month in Melbourne vs $2,502 in Frankston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Melbourne vs $3,466 in Frankston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,905 per month in Melbourne vs $4,430 in Frankston, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 16% more than Frankston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Melbourne and Frankston sit above the global median – Melbourne by 111%, Frankston by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.78

$15.69 A$21.97

17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$61.5 A$86.2

40.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.46

$10.89 A$15.26

14.42%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.84

$2.95 A$4.14

41.36%

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

$3.15 A$4.42

$3.23 A$4.53

-2.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.72

$2.14 A$3.00

23.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.07

$10.08 A$14.12

-0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.91

$7.09 A$9.93

20.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.26

$1.67 A$2.34

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.60

$2.65 A$3.71

24.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.22

$2.12 A$2.96

42.45%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.40

$3.89 A$5.44

54.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.49

$11.35 A$15.89

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.89

$10.09 A$14.13

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.22

$7.71 A$10.80

105.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.18

$2.72 A$3.81

62.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.51

$3.10 A$4.34

3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.83

$2.97 A$4.16

16.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.88

$2.86 A$4.01

71.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.39

$3.30 A$4.63

-4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.63 A$3.69

1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.51 A$3.51

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.37

$1.40 A$1.96

20.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.7

$45.23 A$63.4

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.62

$6.60 A$9.24

90.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.58

$3.25 A$4.55

66.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.46

$4.45 A$6.23

19.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.65

$3.71 A$5.19

8.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$199

$87.1 A$122

62.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.59

$4.56 A$6.39

3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.98

$1.48 A$2.07

-4.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.87

$31.70 A$44.40

-1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$2.00

$1.26 A$1.77

13.49%

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

$29.5K A$41.3K

$29.3K A$41.1K

0.38%

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

$27.0K A$37.8K

-0.01%

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

$239 A$335

$244 A$342

-2.10%

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

$28.19 A$39.48

$10.89 A$15.25

158.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$80.3

$56.9 A$79.6

0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$78.3

$57.5 A$80.5

-2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.82

$18.28 A$25.60

24.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$25.05

$18.35 A$25.69

-2.51%

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

$2,456 A$3,440

$2,454 A$3,437

0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.2K

$31.8K A$44.5K

-0.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$80.9 A$113

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.9

$51.2 A$71.6

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$89.4 A$125

34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$192

$50.2 A$70.3

172.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,489

$1,498 A$2,098

18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,041

$1,275 A$1,786

14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,988

$2,305 A$3,228

54.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,597

$1,884 A$2,639

36.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.2K

$6,186 A$8,664

17.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,659

$5,022 A$7,034

37.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,245

$4,533 A$6,349

-1.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Frankston: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,498 in Frankston. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Frankston, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Melbourne versus $62.0 in Frankston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $314 – making Frankston 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 Frankston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,366 per month in Melbourne and $3,752 in Frankston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Melbourne and $62.0 in Frankston. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Frankston, where all-in costs run around $2,502, than in Melbourne at $2,910. In Frankston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Frankston – 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 Frankston. 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.