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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $2,093 in Frankston, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $3,039 in Frankston, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $3,985 in Frankston, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 15% more than Frankston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Melbourne and Frankston sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Frankston by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$11.77 A$16.41

67.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$79.1 A$110

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.47 A$13.20

2.43%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$2.61 A$3.64

40.23%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.50 A$3.48

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.32 A$3.23

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.52 A$10.48

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.07 A$9.85

-1.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.49 A$2.08

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.46 A$3.42

8.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.97 A$2.74

18.78%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.47 A$4.83

38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$9.09 A$12.66

-3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$9.25 A$12.89

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$7.21 A$10.05

100.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$2.57 A$3.58

29.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.62 A$3.65

14.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$2.54 A$3.54

55.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.72 A$3.78

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.26 A$3.14

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.21 A$3.09

-3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.27 A$1.77

28.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$33.02 A$46.01

-1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$6.28 A$8.75

124.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$2.92 A$4.07

58.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$3.81 A$5.31

32.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$3.18 A$4.43

9.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.4 A$91.2

83.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.55 A$4.95

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.33 A$1.86

1.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$26.68 A$37.19

0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.13 A$1.57

5.31%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.7K A$40.1K

2.35%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.9K A$31.9K

3.13%

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

$150 A$209

-0.08%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$9.77 A$13.62

116.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.65 A$67.8

1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.61 A$21.75

4.87%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$16.09 A$22.42

2.11%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,760 A$2,452

0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$19.1K A$26.6K

0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$69.4 A$96.7

-1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$54.0 A$75.3

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$82.1 A$114

29.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$44.63 A$62.2

134.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,276 A$1,778

23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,053 A$1,467

13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,015 A$2,808

51.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,651 A$2,300

20.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,739 A$9,391

9.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,317 A$7,410

22.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,496 A$6,265

0.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Frankston: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,276 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 0% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne versus $79.0 in Frankston. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Melbourne vs $281 in Frankston – so Frankston wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 15%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $3,139 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 26% 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 $79.0 in Melbourne and $79.0 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 $2,093, than in Melbourne at $2,416. 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.