Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Hachioji

For one person, living is cheaper in Hachioji: $1,413 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,821
/mo nomad
Hachioji
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,413
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Hachioji

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $1,413 in Hachioji.

  • Melbourne $2,821
  • Hachioji $1,413

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $2,105 in Hachioji.

  • Melbourne $4,235
  • Hachioji $2,105

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $2,796 in Hachioji.

  • Melbourne $5,650
  • Hachioji $2,796

Living in Melbourne is roughly 100% more expensive than in Hachioji, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 109% above, Hachioji 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.43 A$25.08
$5.48 ¥865
218.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 A$122
$31.97 ¥5,052
164.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.46 A$17.92
$4.66 ¥737
167.38%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.91
$3.06 ¥484
34.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 A$4.40
$0.83 ¥131
268.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 A$3.62
$0.67 ¥106
276.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.80 A$14.10
$2.70 ¥427
262.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.57 A$12.33
$3.21 ¥507
166.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.14
$1.25 ¥198
18.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.23
$1.56 ¥246
88.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 A$3.82
$4.35 ¥688
-38.85%
Eggs
$5.54 A$7.97
$2.09 ¥330
165.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 A$15.13
$10.39 ¥1,641
1.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.65 A$13.89
$6.39 ¥1,010
51.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.22 A$21.91
$16.65 ¥2,630
-8.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 A$5.75
$3.73 ¥589
6.97%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.34
$2.24 ¥354
34.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 A$4.46
$2.92 ¥462
6.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 A$6.93
$4.05 ¥641
19.01%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.36
$2.43 ¥384
24.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 A$3.52
$2.45 ¥387
-0.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 A$3.54
$1.29 ¥204
90.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.34
$0.79 ¥124
106.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.07 A$63.4
$3.85 ¥608
1044.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 A$18.28
$6.60 ¥1,043
92.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 A$7.97
$2.47 ¥390
124.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.52
$2.17 ¥343
141.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 A$5.38
$0.94 ¥149
297.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$198
$54.4 ¥8,598
152.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 A$6.50
$3.09 ¥488
45.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 A$1.96
$3.72 ¥588
-63.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 A$43.81
$18.49 ¥2,921
64.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.12
$1.08 ¥171
36.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.7K
$21.2K ¥3.3M
37.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K A$38.1K
$15.0K ¥2.4M
76.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 A$336
$136 ¥21.6K
71.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.93 A$40.19
$20.79 ¥3,284
34.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 A$80.2
$36.35 ¥5,743
53.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.40 A$71.1
$52.2 ¥8,249
-5.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.48 A$30.91
$24.96 ¥3,944
-13.94%
Cinema Ticket
$15.09 A$21.72
$13.07 ¥2,064
15.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,371 A$3,412
$589 ¥93.1K
302.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.2K A$43.5K
$11.1K ¥1.8M
172.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.0 A$115
$49.22 ¥7,776
62.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 A$73.0
$31.23 ¥4,935
62.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$174
$62.4 ¥9,864
93.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 A$188
$90.0 ¥14.2K
44.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,759 A$2,531
$939 ¥148.3K
87.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 A$2,000
$549 ¥86.7K
153.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,494 A$5,027
$1,549 ¥244.8K
125.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,493 A$3,588
$937 ¥148.0K
166.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,926 A$9,967
$4,294 ¥678.4K
61.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,445 A$9,274
$1,751 ¥276.6K
268.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Hachioji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,383 A$6,307
$2,806 ¥443.3K
56.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
2.21
166.97%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Hachioji: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Hachioji
$549 60.5% $841
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$384
Hachioji
$288 25.1% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$317
Hachioji
$194 39% $124
Eating Out
Melbourne
$315
Hachioji
$121 61.7% $194
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$172
Hachioji
$105 39% $67
Getting Around
Melbourne
$164
Hachioji
$80 51.2% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$80
Hachioji
$78 1.6% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in Melbourne and $939 in Hachioji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 56% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $32.00 in Hachioji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $288 per month, with Hachioji cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇯🇵 Hachioji
🕒 Local time
12:23 12:23 PM
10:23 10:23 AM
2 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
555,517
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Hachioji 8,190 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Hachioji

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 Hachioji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Melbourne or Hachioji?
Hachioji wins on cost – living expenses run 100% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hachioji the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Melbourne or in Hachioji?
Average pay runs 56% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Melbourne compared to Hachioji?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,759 in Melbourne versus $939 in Hachioji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Melbourne or in Hachioji?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Melbourne and in Hachioji?
Dining out is cheaper in Hachioji – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Melbourne or in Hachioji?
At $1,413 in Hachioji versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hachioji but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Hachioji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Melbourne or Hachioji?
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.
How safe is Melbourne compared to Hachioji?
Safety-wise, Melbourne and Hachioji are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Hachioji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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