Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gyeongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,228 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Gyeongju
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Gyeongju Living Index

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Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Gyeongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Gyeongju

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

A single person spends $2,821 per month in Melbourne vs $1,228 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Melbourne $2,821
Gyeongju $1,228

A couple spends around $4,235 per month in Melbourne vs $1,988 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Melbourne $4,235
Gyeongju $1,988

A family of three spends $5,650 per month in Melbourne vs $2,748 in Gyeongju, rent included.

Melbourne $5,650
Gyeongju $2,748

Melbourne costs about 130% more than Gyeongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 109% above the global median, while Gyeongju is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 A$25.08

$7.61 ₩10.1K

129.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$122

$48.01 ₩63.8K

76.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.92

$6.51 ₩8,653

91.40%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.91

$3.02 ₩4,012

36.09%

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

$3.06 A$4.40

$1.10 ₩1,457

178.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.62

$0.35 ₩469

620.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 A$14.10

$2.59 ₩3,442

278.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 A$12.33

$4.34 ₩5,764

97.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.14

$2.31 ₩3,073

-35.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 A$4.23

$2.47 ₩3,280

19.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$3.13 ₩4,164

-15.02%

Eggs

$5.54 A$7.97

$2.60 ₩3,451

113.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 A$15.13

$11.06 ₩14.7K

-4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 A$13.89

$10.33 ₩13.7K

-6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 A$21.91

$18.49 ₩24.6K

-17.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 A$5.75

$4.50 ₩5,985

-11.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.34

$2.57 ₩3,411

17.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.46

$3.82 ₩5,075

-18.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.93

$3.67 ₩4,879

31.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.36

$2.56 ₩3,398

18.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.52

$2.18 ₩2,897

11.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.54

$2.19 ₩2,917

12.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

$1.33 ₩1,766

22.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.4

$3.44 ₩4,571

1181.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 A$18.28

$14.77 ₩19.6K

-14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.97

$1.14 ₩1,515

385.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.52

$2.22 ₩2,949

135.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 A$5.38

$1.06 ₩1,409

252.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 A$6.50

$2.93 ₩3,895

53.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.96

$0.79 ₩1,046

72.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 A$43.81

$16.57 ₩22.0K

83.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.12

$1.02 ₩1,354

44.12%

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

$29.0K A$41.7K

$29.6K ₩39.3M

-1.87%

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

$26.5K A$38.1K

$34.0K ₩45.2M

-22.18%

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

$234 A$336

$80.6 ₩107.1K

190.11%

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

$27.93 A$40.19

$36.83 ₩49.0K

-24.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$80.2

$27.20 ₩36.2K

104.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 A$71.1

$52.1 ₩69.3K

-5.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

$11.96 ₩15.9K

79.60%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 A$21.72

$11.04 ₩14.7K

36.68%

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

$2,371 A$3,412

$639 ₩849.8K

270.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.5K

$22.2K ₩29.5M

36.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 A$115

$45.34 ₩60.3K

76.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 A$73.0

$22.41 ₩29.8K

126.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$174

$91.7 ₩121.9K

31.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$188

$128 ₩170.8K

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,531

$478 ₩635.9K

267.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,000

$366 ₩486.7K

279.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 A$5,027

$1,163 ₩1.5M

200.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,588

$732 ₩972.7K

240.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$9,967

$7,249 ₩9.6M

-4.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,274

$5,416 ₩7.2M

19.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 A$6,307

$1,841 ₩2.4M

138.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

4.22

39.81%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Gyeongju: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Gyeongju

$366 29.8% 73.7% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$384 13.6%

Gyeongju

$359 29.2% 6.5% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.3%

Gyeongju

$145 11.8% 54.4% $173

Eating Out

Melbourne

$315 11.2%

Gyeongju

$144 11.7% 54.2% $170

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Gyeongju

$130 10.6% 24.6% $42

Getting Around

Melbourne

$164 5.8%

Gyeongju

$11 * 0.9% 93.2% $153

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$80 2.8%

Gyeongju

$74 6% 6.8% $5.4

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,759 in Melbourne versus $478 in Gyeongju. 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 138% 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 $85.0 in Melbourne versus $48.00 in Gyeongju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $359 – making Gyeongju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇰🇷 Gyeongju

🕒 Local time

09:31 9:31 AM

07:31 7:31 AM

2 h behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

258,156

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Melbourne Gyeongju 8,350 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Gyeongju

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 Gyeongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 130%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,231 per month in Melbourne and $1,843 in Gyeongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,821 in Melbourne and $1,228 in Gyeongju. That's a gap of about 130%.

Kindergarten costs $2,371 per month in Melbourne and $639 in Gyeongju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,228, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – 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 Gyeongju. 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.