Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Grafton Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Grafton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,558 in Grafton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,582 in Grafton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,607 in Grafton.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 14% more expensive than in Grafton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Grafton 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.85 A$24.89

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$81.2 A$113

6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$11.62 A$16.19

7.23%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$3.50 A$4.88

19.14%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.88 A$4.02

9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.49 A$3.47

6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.66 A$12.07

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$8.42 A$11.73

1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.17 A$1.64

37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.75 A$3.83

19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.34 A$3.26

29.06%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$3.76 A$5.25

59.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.25 A$12.89

19.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$7.94 A$11.07

24.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$14.02 A$19.54

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$2.94 A$4.10

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$1.40 A$1.95

130.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$2.91 A$4.05

18.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.94 A$6.89

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.09 A$2.91

50.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.30 A$3.21

15.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$1.75 A$2.44

44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.12 A$1.56

50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$31.37 A$43.74

47.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$13.04 A$18.18

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.48 A$7.64

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.19 A$7.23

2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.09 A$4.31

30.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$85.3 A$119

66.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.01 A$4.20

56.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.83 A$2.55

-22.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$41.65 A$58.1

-24.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.30 A$1.82

10.00%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.6K A$39.8K

3.13%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$25.3K A$35.3K

6.46%

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

$239 A$334

$169 A$236

41.29%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$27.66 A$38.57

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$49.45 A$69.0

15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$57.0 A$79.4

-1.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.34 A$25.56

23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$12.13 A$16.92

47.49%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$716 A$998

243.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$3,240 A$4,517

873.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$85.9 A$120

-4.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$44.14 A$61.5

17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$115 A$160

4.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$110 A$153

24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,484 A$2,069

19.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,266 A$1,765

15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,316 A$3,230

53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,875 A$2,614

36.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,581 A$9,175

10.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,195 A$7,243

32.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$2,572 A$3,586

73.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Grafton: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,484 in Grafton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 73% 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: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $81.0 in Grafton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $328 per month, with Grafton 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 Grafton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Grafton differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,558 including rent). Grafton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Melbourne, 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,484 in Grafton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Grafton – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $86.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Grafton is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Grafton 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 Grafton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.