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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,367 in Geelong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,084 in Geelong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,800 in Geelong.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 2% more expensive than Geelong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Geelong 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.67

$16.43 A$23.03

20.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.6 A$109

1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.60

$9.51 A$13.33

2.00%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.13

$3.26 A$4.57

12.27%

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

$2.60 A$3.65

$2.60 A$3.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.17 A$3.04

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.05

$6.12 A$8.57

17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.79

$4.90 A$6.86

42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.46 A$2.04

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.73

$2.19 A$3.07

21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$0.88 A$1.24

165.91%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.73

$2.77 A$3.88

73.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.28

$7.58 A$10.63

15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.22

$9.49 A$13.30

-0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.21

$14.77 A$20.70

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.67

$2.87 A$4.02

16.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.89

$2.78 A$3.90

-0.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.20

$2.90 A$4.07

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.53

$2.28 A$3.20

73.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.45 A$3.43

9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.30

$2.05 A$2.87

15.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$1.55 A$2.17

38.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.65 A$2.32

-1.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.46

$31.34 A$43.92

3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.76

$13.79 A$19.32

2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.51

$3.57 A$5.00

29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.06

$3.01 A$4.22

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.89

$6.82 A$9.56

-48.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$117 A$164

2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.90

$3.55 A$4.97

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.40 A$1.97

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.75

$27.60 A$38.68

-2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.67

$1.19 A$1.66

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$28.6K A$40.1K

2.91%

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

$23.6K A$33.0K

$23.1K A$32.3K

2.18%

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

$150 A$210

$140 A$196

7.48%

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

$21.16 A$29.65

$20.80 A$29.14

1.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.5

$50.6 A$70.9

-0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.9

$52.7 A$73.8

-6.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.94

$14.36 A$20.13

14.00%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$23.03

$11.75 A$16.46

39.83%

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

$1,764 A$2,471

$1,748 A$2,449

0.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$19.4K A$27.2K

-1.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.7

$67.3 A$94.3

1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.7

$44.01 A$61.7

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$149

$101 A$142

5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$89.4 A$125

17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,203

$1,489 A$2,087

5.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,674

$1,236 A$1,731

-3.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,270

$1,209 A$1,694

152.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,788

$1,225 A$1,717

62.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.4K

$6,740 A$9,444

9.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,146

$5,423 A$7,598

20.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,323

$3,163 A$4,432

42.67%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Geelong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,489 in Geelong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Geelong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $309 per month, with Geelong cheaper across the board.

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

Melbourne and Geelong differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,367 including rent). Geelong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 43% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,489 in Geelong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,416 per month in Melbourne versus $2,367 in Geelong – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Geelong runs roughly 2% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,367 in Geelong versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Geelong but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Geelong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Geelong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.