Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gosford

For one person, living costs are similar in Melbourne and in Gosford: $2,849 and $2,795 a month, rent and utilities included.

137

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Gosford
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Gosford Living Index

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Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,849

/mo nomad

Gosford

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,795

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Gosford

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 Gosford actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,849 per month in Melbourne vs $2,795 in Gosford, rent included.

Melbourne $2,849
Gosford $2,795

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Melbourne vs $3,874 in Gosford, rent included.

Melbourne $4,274
Gosford $3,874

A family of three spends $5,699 per month in Melbourne vs $4,953 in Gosford, rent included.

Melbourne $5,699
Gosford $4,953

Melbourne and Gosford have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Melbourne and Gosford sit above the global median – Melbourne by 109%, Gosford by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 A$24.86

$17.40 A$24.72

0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.3 A$120

$82.9 A$118

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 A$17.29

$10.71 A$15.22

13.63%

Cappuccino

$4.07 A$5.79

$3.49 A$4.97

16.62%

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

$3.18 A$4.52

$3.27 A$4.65

-2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 A$3.55

$2.20 A$3.13

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.57 A$13.60

$5.75 A$8.17

66.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.25 A$11.72

$7.06 A$10.03

16.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.15 A$1.64

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 A$4.22

$3.98 A$5.65

-25.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.81

$2.04 A$2.90

31.37%

Eggs

$5.45 A$7.75

$4.12 A$5.86

32.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 A$15.22

$8.95 A$12.71

19.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 A$14.28

$9.08 A$12.90

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 A$21.31

$12.10 A$17.19

23.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.78

$2.93 A$4.16

38.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.46

$2.54 A$3.62

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.43

$3.25 A$4.62

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 A$6.72

$4.60 A$6.53

2.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.23

$2.41 A$3.42

23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.55

$2.13 A$3.03

16.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.53

$2.10 A$2.99

18.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 A$2.27

$1.79 A$2.54

-10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.65 A$63.4

$27.50 A$39.08

62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 A$18.02

$11.47 A$16.30

10.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.55 A$7.88

$7.18 A$10.21

-22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 A$7.37

$4.69 A$6.66

10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 A$5.45

$3.60 A$5.12

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 A$197

$153 A$218

-9.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 A$6.19

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 A$1.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 A$42.23

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.11

$1.36 A$1.94

9.56%

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

$29.1K A$41.3K

$21.2K A$30.1K

37.39%

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

$25.7K A$36.5K

$24.6K A$35.0K

4.25%

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

$236 A$335

$242 A$344

-2.59%

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

$28.01 A$39.80

$28.55 A$40.57

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$81.3

$51.3 A$72.9

11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 A$68.8

$67.1 A$95.3

-27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 A$30.50

$20.72 A$29.44

3.57%

Cinema Ticket

$17.67 A$25.10

$12.13 A$17.23

45.67%

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

$2,461 A$3,497

$830 A$1,179

196.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K A$42.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 A$115

$71.2 A$101

14.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.28 A$70.0

$63.2 A$89.7

-21.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$170

$107 A$152

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$186

$110 A$156

19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 A$2,419

$1,955 A$2,778

-12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 A$2,002

$1,418 A$2,015

-0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,496 A$4,967

$2,268 A$3,222

54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 A$3,590

$1,936 A$2,751

30.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,978 A$11.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,805

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,257 A$6,049

$3,052 A$4,337

39.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.23

12.81%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 26, 2026

Last update for Gosford: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.4%

Gosford

$1.4K 50.7% 0.7% $9.6

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$386 13.6%

Gosford

$360 12.9% 6.9% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$321 11.3%

Gosford

$322 11.5% 0.3% $0.8

Eating Out

Melbourne

$312 11%

Gosford

$278 10% 11% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$171 6%

Gosford

$158 5.7% 7.8% $13

Getting Around

Melbourne

$165 5.8%

Gosford

$168 * 6% 1.4% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$84 2.9%

Gosford

$91 3.3% 9.1% $7.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Melbourne versus $1,955 in Gosford. 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 39% higher in Melbourne. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Melbourne versus $83 in Gosford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $360 – making Gosford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇦🇺 Gosford

🕒 Local time

07:28 7:28 AM

Same time as Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

4,873

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Melbourne Gosford 760 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Gosford

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 Gosford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,273 per month in Melbourne and $4,192 in Gosford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Melbourne, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,703 there versus $1,955 in Gosford.

Kindergarten costs $2,461 per month in Melbourne and $830 in Gosford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Melbourne, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Melbourne has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,795 in Gosford to $2,849 in Melbourne. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Gosford. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.