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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,173 in Grafton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,160 in Grafton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,146 in Grafton.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 11% more expensive than Grafton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Grafton 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.67

$16.36 A$22.93

20.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$72.7 A$102

8.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.60

$9.86 A$13.82

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.13

$3.07 A$4.30

19.22%

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

$2.60 A$3.65

$2.53 A$3.54

2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.17 A$3.04

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.05

$6.42 A$8.99

11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.79

$7.91 A$11.08

-11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.07 A$1.50

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.73

$2.28 A$3.20

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$1.84 A$2.57

27.17%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.73

$3.36 A$4.71

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.28

$8.35 A$11.70

5.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.22

$7.35 A$10.30

28.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.21

$13.24 A$18.55

8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.67

$2.55 A$3.57

30.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.89

$1.32 A$1.85

109.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.20

$2.66 A$3.72

12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.53

$4.36 A$6.11

-9.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$1.94 A$2.71

38.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.30

$2.13 A$2.98

10.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$1.67 A$2.34

28.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.00 A$1.40

63.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.46

$28.04 A$39.29

15.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.76

$12.80 A$17.93

10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.51

$4.48 A$6.28

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.06

$4.17 A$5.85

20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.89

$2.53 A$3.54

37.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$64.7 A$90.6

85.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.90

$2.34 A$3.28

49.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.58 A$2.22

-14.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.75

$33.23 A$46.57

-18.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.67

$1.22 A$1.71

-2.46%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$29.0K A$40.6K

1.50%

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

$23.6K A$33.0K

$22.3K A$31.2K

5.76%

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

$150 A$210

$145 A$203

3.29%

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

$21.16 A$29.65

$25.68 A$35.98

-17.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.5

$44.85 A$62.8

12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.9

$48.16 A$67.5

2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.94

$15.78 A$22.11

3.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$23.03

$10.96 A$15.36

49.91%

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

$1,764 A$2,471

$625 A$876

182.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$2,923 A$4,095

556.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.7

$70.3 A$98.5

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.7

$43.57 A$61.1

22.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$149

$94.6 A$133

12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$102 A$143

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,203

$1,279 A$1,792

22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,674

$1,083 A$1,517

10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,270

$2,016 A$2,824

51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,788

$1,704 A$2,388

16.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.4K

$5,821 A$8,156

26.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,146

$4,934 A$6,914

32.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,323

$2,549 A$3,572

77.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.24

-0.80%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Grafton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,279 in Grafton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 77% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $73.0 in Grafton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $294 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 11% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,173 including rent). Grafton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 77% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,279 in Grafton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% 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 $73.0 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,173 in Grafton versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Grafton but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Grafton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 11% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.