Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Fremantle Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Fremantle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,465 per month in Melbourne vs $2,149 in Fremantle, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,636 per month in Melbourne vs $3,147 in Fremantle, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,806 per month in Melbourne vs $4,145 in Fremantle, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 15% more than Fremantle, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Fremantle sit above the global median – Melbourne by 84%, Fremantle by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 A$27.07

$16.41 A$22.97

17.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 A$110

$74.4 A$104

5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 A$14.04

$10.24 A$14.33

-2.05%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.07

$3.32 A$4.64

9.04%

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

$2.61 A$3.66

$2.55 A$3.57

2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 A$3.23

$1.75 A$2.45

32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 A$10.40

$7.30 A$10.22

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 A$10.07

$6.34 A$8.88

13.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.42 A$1.99

2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.43 A$3.40

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.25

$1.97 A$2.76

17.77%

Eggs

$4.68 A$6.56

$4.41 A$6.18

6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 A$12.87

$8.61 A$12.05

6.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 A$13.10

$7.58 A$10.61

23.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 A$20.56

$10.95 A$15.33

34.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.49

$3.50 A$4.90

-8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 A$3.90

$3.01 A$4.21

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.14

$2.83 A$3.97

4.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.73

$3.14 A$4.39

30.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.78

$2.50 A$3.51

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.29

$1.80 A$2.51

30.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.10

$2.00 A$2.81

10.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.32

$1.45 A$2.02

14.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.79 A$45.91

$32.24 A$45.13

1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 A$20.42

$10.96 A$15.35

33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 A$6.61

$3.17 A$4.44

48.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 A$7.13

$3.96 A$5.55

28.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 A$5.05

$2.62 A$3.66

37.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 A$165

$64.8 A$90.7

81.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.15

$4.02 A$5.63

-8.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.95

$2.21 A$3.09

-37.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 A$38.61

$48.49 A$67.9

-43.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.14 A$1.60

4.39%

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

$29.3K A$41.0K

-0.01%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$24.2K A$33.9K

-2.20%

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

$152 A$212

$155 A$216

-1.83%

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

$21.15 A$29.62

$22.31 A$31.24

-5.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 A$69.9

$54.5 A$76.4

-8.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.19 A$68.9

$40.06 A$56.1

22.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.15 A$22.62

$15.46 A$21.64

4.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 A$22.38

$14.84 A$20.77

7.75%

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

$1,756 A$2,458

$1,762 A$2,467

-0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$12.2K A$17.1K

57.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 A$93.6

$32.91 A$46.07

103.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 A$75.5

$47.23 A$66.1

14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$103 A$144

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$144

$104 A$146

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 A$2,196

$1,200 A$1,681

30.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 A$1,656

$1,077 A$1,508

9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,038 A$4,254

$2,046 A$2,864

48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,831

$1,704 A$2,386

18.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,557 A$10.6K

$6,011 A$8,415

25.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,138

$5,057 A$7,080

29.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,490 A$6,287

$3,930 A$5,503

14.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.25

-0.96%

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

Last update for Melbourne: April 25, 2026

Last update for Fremantle: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in Melbourne versus $1,200 in Fremantle. 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 14% 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 $78.0 in Melbourne versus $74.0 in Fremantle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $305 – making Fremantle 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 Fremantle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 15% more than Fremantle, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,698 per month in Melbourne and $3,223 in Fremantle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,756 per month in Melbourne and $1,762 in Fremantle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fremantle, where all-in costs run around $2,149, than in Melbourne at $2,465. In Fremantle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fremantle – 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 Fremantle. 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.