Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Geraldton Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Geraldton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Melbourne vs $2,211 in Geraldton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,689 per month in Melbourne vs $3,294 in Geraldton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,896 per month in Melbourne vs $4,377 in Geraldton, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 12% more than Geraldton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Geraldton sit above the global median – Melbourne by 85%, Geraldton by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 A$26.94

$16.17 A$22.63

18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 A$110

$78.4 A$110

0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 A$13.41

$9.68 A$13.55

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.09

$3.47 A$4.85

4.61%

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

$2.51 A$3.52

$2.50 A$3.49

0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.34

$2.13 A$2.98

12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 A$9.96

$6.31 A$8.84

12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 A$10.12

$7.18 A$10.06

0.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.49 A$2.08

1.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.66

$2.43 A$3.40

7.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$1.96 A$2.74

19.39%

Eggs

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.74 A$6.64

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.40

$8.29 A$11.61

6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 A$13.08

$8.46 A$11.84

10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 A$20.73

$13.90 A$19.45

6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.30 A$4.62

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$2.83 A$3.97

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.12

$2.87 A$4.02

2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 A$5.67

$4.09 A$5.73

-0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.52 A$3.53

6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.26

$2.18 A$3.06

6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.11

$2.07 A$2.90

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.52 A$2.13

7.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.09 A$46.32

$30.50 A$42.71

8.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 A$19.99

$14.29 A$20.00

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.47 A$6.26

4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.40

$5.31 A$7.43

-0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 A$4.91

$2.64 A$3.69

32.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$169

$64.7 A$90.6

86.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.91

$3.52 A$4.93

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.93

$1.61 A$2.25

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 A$38.55

$33.31 A$46.63

-17.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.64

$1.18 A$1.65

-0.85%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$29.2K A$40.9K

0.72%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$22.5K A$31.5K

5.49%

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

$153 A$214

$180 A$252

-14.98%

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

$21.03 A$29.44

$27.61 A$38.66

-23.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 A$70.3

$52.7 A$73.7

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 A$70.0

$49.29 A$69.0

1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$22.74

$15.48 A$21.68

4.91%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 A$22.60

$12.76 A$17.87

26.49%

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

$1,768 A$2,476

$1,618 A$2,265

9.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.8K

$12.0K A$16.7K

60.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 A$95.8

$68.1 A$95.4

0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 A$73.9

$51.2 A$71.7

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$150

$101 A$141

6.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$106 A$149

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 A$2,184

$1,254 A$1,755

24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 A$1,699

$1,082 A$1,515

12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 A$4,213

$2,029 A$2,840

48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 A$2,778

$1,678 A$2,349

18.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,460 A$10.4K

$6,404 A$8,965

16.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,569 A$9,197

$5,831 A$8,163

12.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,305 A$6,027

$2,511 A$3,515

71.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: April 20, 2026

Last update for Geraldton: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,560 in Melbourne versus $1,254 in Geraldton. 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 71% 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 in Melbourne versus $78 in Geraldton. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Melbourne vs $340 in Geraldton – so Geraldton 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 Geraldton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Melbourne, $2,211 in Geraldton – roughly 12% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Melbourne and $3,316 in Geraldton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Melbourne and $2,211 in Geraldton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Geraldton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Geraldton, where all-in costs run around $2,211, than in Melbourne at $2,482. In Geraldton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Geraldton – 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 Geraldton. 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.