Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gili Air

For one person, living is cheaper in Gili Air: $812 a month against $2,853 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Gili Air
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Gili Air Living Index

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Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,853

/mo nomad

Gili Air

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$812

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Gili Air

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Melbourne and in Gili Air actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Melbourne vs $812 in Gili Air, rent included.

Melbourne $2,853
Gili Air $812

A couple spends around $4,275 per month in Melbourne vs $1,337 in Gili Air, rent included.

Melbourne $4,275
Gili Air $1,337

A family of three spends $5,697 per month in Melbourne vs $1,861 in Gili Air, rent included.

Melbourne $5,697
Gili Air $1,861

Melbourne costs about 251% more than Gili Air, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 111% above the global median, while Gili Air is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 A$24.75

$1.84 Rp 33.2K

834.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 A$120

$19.34 Rp 348.1K

329.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.43 A$17.88

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

315.72%

Cappuccino

$4.05 A$5.82

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

183.22%

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

$3.12 A$4.50

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

258.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 A$3.54

$0.44 Rp 7,928

459.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.52 A$13.71

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

552.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 A$11.74

$2.44 Rp 43.9K

234.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.25

$1.13 Rp 20.4K

38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 A$4.18

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

81.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

228.40%

Eggs

$5.37 A$7.72

$1.47 Rp 26.4K

265.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 A$15.36

$12.29 Rp 221.3K

-13.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 A$14.17

$2.82 Rp 50.7K

249.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 A$22.11

$8.56 Rp 154.0K

79.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 A$6.00

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

67.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.53

$1.14 Rp 20.5K

176.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.69

$1.68 Rp 30.2K

94.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.85

$1.37 Rp 24.7K

247.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.41

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

128.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.55

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 A$3.52

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

235.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

$0.38 Rp 6,869

328.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.17 A$65.0

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

2740.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 A$18.25

$15.78 Rp 284.0K

-19.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.69 A$8.18

$1.69 Rp 30.5K

236.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.53

$2.06 Rp 37.2K

153.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.87 A$5.57

$0.18 Rp 3,182

2050.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$204

$6.64 Rp 119.6K

2037.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 A$6.53

$0.38 Rp 6,851

1094.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 A$2.04

$0.34 Rp 6,206

317.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.59 A$44.01

$5.04 Rp 90.6K

506.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.11

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

107.04%

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

$28.9K A$41.5K

$19.0K Rp 342.1M

51.87%

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

$25.9K A$37.3K

$25.7K Rp 461.8M

1.02%

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

$235 A$338

$64.5 Rp 1.2M

264.68%

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

$27.45 A$39.51

$5.21 Rp 93.7K

426.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 A$80.8

$14.68 Rp 264.3K

282.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 A$72.1

$32.16 Rp 578.8K

55.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.49 A$30.93

$10.43 Rp 187.8K

106.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.76 A$25.56

$2.51 Rp 45.1K

607.57%

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

$2,385 A$3,432

$336 Rp 6.0M

609.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K A$42.7K

$3,931 Rp 70.8M

654.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 A$114

$37.54 Rp 675.7K

110.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.49 A$71.2

$28.70 Rp 516.5K

72.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 A$170

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

86.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 A$190

$63.0 Rp 1.1M

109.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 A$2,537

$543 Rp 9.8M

224.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 A$2,031

$331 Rp 6.0M

326.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,522 A$5,069

$1,705 Rp 30.7M

106.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 A$3,634

$807 Rp 14.5M

212.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,136 A$10.3K

$1,306 Rp 23.5M

446.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,355 A$9,144

$1,074 Rp 19.3M

491.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,258 A$6,128

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

13.78

-57.18%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 17, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.5%

Gili Air

$331 40.8% 76.5% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$388 13.6%

Gili Air

$205 25.2% 47.2% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$319 11.2%

Gili Air

$84 10.4% 73.5% $234

Eating Out

Melbourne

$310 10.9%

Gili Air

$58 7.2% 81.2% $251

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$171 6%

Gili Air

$87 10.7% 49.1% $84

Getting Around

Melbourne

$169 5.9%

Gili Air

$9.5 1.2% 94.4% $160

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$86 3%

Gili Air

$37 4.6% 56.6% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,763 in Melbourne versus $543 in Gili Air. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Melbourne versus $19.00 in Gili Air. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $205 – making Gili Air the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇮🇩 Gili Air

🕒 Local time

01:20 1:20 AM

22:20 10:20 PM

3 h behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

1,800

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Melbourne Gili Air 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Gili Air

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 Gili Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 251%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,280 per month in Melbourne and $1,218 in Gili Air. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, 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 $2,853 in Melbourne and $812 in Gili Air. That's a gap of about 251%.

Public transport costs about 2038% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $812, than in Melbourne at $2,853. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – 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 Gili Air. 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.