Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Goulburn Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Goulburn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,435 per month in Melbourne vs $2,101 in Goulburn, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,676 per month in Melbourne vs $3,117 in Goulburn, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,918 per month in Melbourne vs $4,133 in Goulburn, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 16% more than Goulburn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Goulburn sit above the global median – Melbourne by 83%, Goulburn by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.65

$17.75 A$25.19

9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$110

$94.4 A$134

-17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$13.96

$7.72 A$10.95

27.46%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.23

$2.96 A$4.20

24.66%

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

$2.54 A$3.60

$2.98 A$4.23

-14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.33

$2.09 A$2.96

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.45

$6.69 A$9.49

10.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.07

$6.37 A$9.04

11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.13

$1.13 A$1.60

32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.65

$2.39 A$3.39

7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.32

$2.16 A$3.07

8.33%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.71

$3.74 A$5.30

26.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.83

$9.32 A$13.22

-2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$12.94

$7.88 A$11.18

15.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.65

$14.12 A$20.04

3.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.63

$3.14 A$4.45

4.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.98

$2.14 A$3.04

31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.12

$1.61 A$2.29

80.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.72

$3.64 A$5.17

10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.91

$2.43 A$3.44

13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.33

$1.26 A$1.78

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.01

$1.27 A$1.81

66.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.35

$0.94 A$1.33

76.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$46.98

$29.29 A$41.56

13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.47

$8.60 A$12.20

59.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.68

$4.07 A$5.77

15.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.14

$3.04 A$4.31

65.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.04

$2.63 A$3.73

34.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$172

$63.8 A$90.5

90.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.13

$2.21 A$3.14

63.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.90

$1.55 A$2.20

-13.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.29

$38.21 A$54.2

-29.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.67

$1.17 A$1.66

0.85%

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

$29.1K A$41.3K

$29.3K A$41.6K

-0.59%

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

$23.0K A$32.6K

$21.2K A$30.0K

8.53%

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

$151 A$214

$98.2 A$139

53.60%

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

$21.41 A$30.38

$29.07 A$41.24

-26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$72.9

$58.0 A$82.3

-11.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$70.6

$48.81 A$69.3

1.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$22.77

$15.45 A$21.93

3.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.21

$7.76 A$11.01

110.82%

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

$1,733 A$2,459

$923 A$1,310

87.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$26.9K

$11.9K A$16.9K

59.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$98.3

$76.6 A$109

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$76.5

$44.55 A$63.2

21.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

$91.0 A$129

17.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$147

$109 A$154

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,187

$1,270 A$1,801

21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,693

$1,049 A$1,489

13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,252

$2,024 A$2,871

48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,834

$1,706 A$2,421

17.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.3K

$5,912 A$8,388

22.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$8,995

$5,266 A$7,472

20.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,178

$4,048 A$5,743

7.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.75

-8.30%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Last update for Goulburn: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,270 in Goulburn. 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 8% 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 $78.0 in Melbourne versus $94.0 in Goulburn. Groceries tell a different story – $353 in Melbourne vs $291 in Goulburn – so Goulburn 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 Goulburn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,653 per month in Melbourne and $3,151 in Goulburn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 21% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Melbourne and $94.0 in Goulburn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Goulburn, where all-in costs run around $2,101, than in Melbourne at $2,435. In Goulburn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Goulburn – 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 Goulburn. 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.