Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Geelong Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Geelong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,411 in Geelong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,150 in Geelong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,890 in Geelong.

Monthly costs are close between Melbourne and Geelong; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Geelong 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$16.77 A$24.03

15.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$78.7 A$113

-1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$9.74 A$13.96

1.13%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.39 A$4.86

10.03%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.62 A$3.76

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.08 A$2.99

9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.36 A$9.12

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$4.92 A$7.05

41.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.46 A$2.09

2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.17 A$3.11

18.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$0.95 A$1.36

146.32%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$2.88 A$4.12

68.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$7.74 A$11.08

12.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$9.46 A$13.56

-2.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$14.69 A$21.04

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$2.88 A$4.12

15.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.77 A$3.97

1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.94 A$4.22

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$2.20 A$3.15

80.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.50 A$3.58

6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.03 A$2.91

9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.61 A$2.31

36.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.63 A$2.33

0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$30.58 A$43.82

4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$13.65 A$19.55

1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$3.38 A$4.84

38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$2.89 A$4.14

74.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$6.82 A$9.77

-48.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$119 A$171

1.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.60 A$5.15

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$27.58 A$39.51

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.18 A$1.69

-2.54%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.5K A$40.9K

2.29%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$23.3K A$33.4K

-1.67%

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

$154 A$220

$140 A$200

10.24%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$20.86 A$29.89

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$50.0 A$71.6

2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$52.6 A$75.3

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$14.58 A$20.89

11.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$11.85 A$16.98

34.77%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,762 A$2,524

0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$19.7K A$28.2K

-0.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$69.4 A$99.4

-3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$44.57 A$63.9

22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$101 A$144

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$89.0 A$128

16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,435 A$2,056

9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,214 A$1,740

-0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$1,242 A$1,779

144.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,185 A$1,697

70.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$6,440 A$9,227

9.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,175 A$7,414

24.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

$3,105 A$4,448

41.67%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Geelong: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,435 in Geelong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 42% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Geelong. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $307, with Geelong 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 Geelong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 42% 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 $1,435 in Geelong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Geelong runs roughly 1% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Geelong is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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