Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Hawkesbury City Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Hawkesbury City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,435 in Melbourne versus $2,148 in Hawkesbury City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Melbourne versus $3,147 in Hawkesbury City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Melbourne versus $4,146 in Hawkesbury City.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 13% more expensive than in Hawkesbury City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 83% above, Hawkesbury City 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.99

$10.85 A$15.58

79.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$112

$89.4 A$128

-13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.13

$9.61 A$13.80

2.39%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.30

$3.27 A$4.70

12.84%

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

$2.54 A$3.65

$2.50 A$3.59

1.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.37

$1.91 A$2.74

22.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.58

$6.44 A$9.26

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.20

$7.27 A$10.45

-2.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

$1.16 A$1.67

29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.70

$2.65 A$3.80

-2.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.36

$1.83 A$2.63

27.87%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.79

$3.31 A$4.75

42.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.99

$9.68 A$13.90

-6.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$13.10

$8.56 A$12.29

6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.90

$14.44 A$20.74

0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.69

$2.29 A$3.29

42.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.55 A$3.67

10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.17

$2.51 A$3.60

15.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.79

$4.79 A$6.88

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.95

$2.32 A$3.33

18.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.37

$1.95 A$2.80

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.04

$2.39 A$3.43

-11.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.38

$0.53 A$0.77

213.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.56

$30.32 A$43.56

9.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.71

$14.30 A$20.55

-4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.77

$5.26 A$7.56

-10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.23

$5.99 A$8.61

-16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.10

$2.63 A$3.78

34.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$174

$64.5 A$92.6

87.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.20

$4.05 A$5.81

-10.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.92

$1.82 A$2.62

-26.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.76

$41.19 A$59.2

-34.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.14 A$1.63

3.51%

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

$29.1K A$41.8K

$25.7K A$36.9K

13.38%

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

$23.0K A$33.0K

$19.1K A$27.4K

20.29%

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

$151 A$217

$163 A$234

-7.41%

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

$21.41 A$30.75

$29.27 A$42.04

-26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.8

$52.1 A$74.9

-1.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$71.5

$48.25 A$69.3

3.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$23.05

$15.40 A$22.12

4.22%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.49

$11.26 A$16.17

45.29%

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

$1,733 A$2,489

$1,738 A$2,497

-0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.2K

$13.5K A$19.3K

41.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$99.6

$72.1 A$104

-3.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$77.5

$56.2 A$80.7

-4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$77.4 A$111

37.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$115 A$165

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,214

$1,271 A$1,826

21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,714

$1,081 A$1,553

10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,304

$1,999 A$2,872

49.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,869

$1,698 A$2,439

17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.4K

$5,747 A$8,256

26.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,106

$4,448 A$6,390

42.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,254

$4,553 A$6,540

-4.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.29

-1.59%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hawkesbury City: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,541 in Melbourne and $1,271 in Hawkesbury City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hawkesbury City pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Melbourne vs $89.0 in Hawkesbury City. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $328, with Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hawkesbury City wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hawkesbury City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Hawkesbury City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,271 in Hawkesbury City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hawkesbury City – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $78.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,148 in Hawkesbury City versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hawkesbury City but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City 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 Hawkesbury City 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.