Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gardez

137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
Learn more

Melbourne Living Index

Jump to prices

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,852

/mo nomad

Gardez

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.75 A$25.49

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$122

$17.01 ؋1,102

398.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 A$17.46

Cappuccino

$3.93 A$5.64

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

$3.14 A$4.51

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 A$3.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 A$14.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 A$11.91

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.22

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.32

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 A$4.14

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.82

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 A$15.22

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 A$13.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 A$21.54

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.96

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 A$4.38

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.74

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.83

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.36

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.56

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.3

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 A$17.85

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 A$7.41

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 A$5.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$203

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 A$6.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 A$42.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

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

$28.1K A$40.4K

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

$25.9K A$37.3K

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

$233 A$334

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

$27.28 A$39.19

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$81.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 A$75.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 A$32.49

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 A$24.57

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

$2,373 A$3,409

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K A$43.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 A$112

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 A$72.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$173

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$191

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 A$2,460

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 A$2,014

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,339 A$4,796

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 A$3,632

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,018 A$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,767 A$9,721

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,228 A$6,074

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Last update for Gardez: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Gardez

–

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$385 13.5%

Gardez

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.1%

Gardez

–

Eating Out

Melbourne

$314 11%

Gardez

–

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Gardez

–

Getting Around

Melbourne

$168 5.9%

Gardez

–

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$87 3.1%

Gardez

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $17.00 in Gardez for two.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇦🇫 Gardez

🕒 Local time

16:57 4:57 PM

10:27 10:27 AM

6 h 30 min behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

70,000

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.696 USD

1 AUD = 0.621 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 64.76 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.64 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Melbourne Gardez 11,140 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Gardez

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gardez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Gardez is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Melbourne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Gardez are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Gardez wins on affordability, Melbourne on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.