Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Griffith Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Griffith

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,567 in Griffith.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,699 in Griffith.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,830 in Griffith.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 13% more expensive than in Griffith, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Griffith 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$17.77 A$25.06

1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$95.1 A$134

-10.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$10.51 A$14.82

15.22%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$4.21 A$5.93

-2.14%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$3.26 A$4.59

-1.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$2.27 A$3.21

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$8.91 A$12.56

9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$6.96 A$9.81

22.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.83 A$2.59

-11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$3.12 A$4.40

2.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$2.49 A$3.51

14.46%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$4.90 A$6.91

18.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$8.93 A$12.59

23.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$9.49 A$13.39

5.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$13.23 A$18.66

16.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$3.81 A$5.37

15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$3.30 A$4.66

-3.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$3.09 A$4.36

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$4.68 A$6.59

4.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$2.50 A$3.53

24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$2.80 A$3.96

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.24 A$3.16

11.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$1.78 A$2.51

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$38.21 A$53.9

20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$14.40 A$20.31

-12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$5.17 A$7.29

8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$5.09 A$7.17

3.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$3.25 A$4.58

19.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$88.4 A$125

58.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$4.10 A$5.78

13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.80 A$2.54

-21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$38.32 A$54.1

-20.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$29.9K A$42.2K

-3.19%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$28.9K A$40.8K

-5.97%

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

$238 A$335

$198 A$279

20.36%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$26.88 A$37.91

3.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$63.7 A$89.8

-9.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$55.3 A$78.0

-0.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$15.92 A$22.46

40.14%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$14.78 A$20.84

20.91%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$1,889 A$2,663

29.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$22.0K A$31.0K

45.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$88.5 A$125

-8.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$56.3 A$79.4

-7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$121 A$170

-0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$120 A$169

12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,555 A$2,193

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$1,121 A$1,582

27.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$2,202 A$3,106

56.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,688 A$2,381

51.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$5,997 A$8,458

22.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$4,980 A$7,024

38.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.87

0.34%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Griffith: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,555 in Griffith. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $95.0 in Griffith. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $376, with Griffith cheaper for home cooking.

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 Griffith: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Griffith differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,567 including rent). Griffith is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,358 in Melbourne and $3,851 in Griffith to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,555 in Griffith. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Griffith runs roughly 59% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $1,889 in Griffith. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Griffith 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 Griffith 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 Griffith gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.