Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Heze

For one person, living is cheaper in Heze: $694 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,821
/mo nomad
Heze
🇨🇳 China
$694
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Heze

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

A single person spends $2,821 per month in Melbourne vs $694 in Heze, rent included.

  • Melbourne $2,821
  • Heze $694

A couple spends around $4,235 per month in Melbourne vs $1,076 in Heze, rent included.

  • Melbourne $4,235
  • Heze $1,076

A family of three spends $5,650 per month in Melbourne vs $1,458 in Heze, rent included.

  • Melbourne $5,650
  • Heze $1,458

Melbourne costs about 306% more than Heze, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 109% above the global median, while Heze is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.43 A$24.97
$2.57 ¥17.19
578.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 A$121
$10.85 ¥72.5
679.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.46 A$17.85
$4.80 ¥32.10
159.58%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.88
$2.57 ¥17.18
59.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 A$4.38
$0.46 ¥3.09
565.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 A$3.61
$0.21 ¥1.40
1100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.80 A$14.04
$0.88 ¥5.89
1013.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.57 A$12.28
$2.05 ¥13.70
318.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.13
$1.44 ¥9.64
2.78%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.22
$1.47 ¥9.85
100.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 A$3.80
$1.23 ¥8.23
116.26%
Eggs
$5.54 A$7.94
$1.06 ¥7.09
422.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 A$15.06
$11.66 ¥78.0
-9.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.65 A$13.82
$3.35 ¥22.37
188.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.22 A$21.81
$11.26 ¥75.3
35.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 A$5.72
$1.42 ¥9.47
180.99%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.32
$1.02 ¥6.81
196.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 A$4.44
$1.37 ¥9.14
126.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 A$6.90
$1.10 ¥7.38
338.18%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.34
$0.57 ¥3.81
431.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 A$3.50
$0.72 ¥4.82
238.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 A$3.53
$0.58 ¥3.86
324.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.33
$0.62 ¥4.13
162.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.07 A$63.1
$3.78 ¥25.27
1065.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 A$18.20
$9.93 ¥66.4
27.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 A$7.93
$0.68 ¥4.52
714.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.49
$1.31 ¥8.73
299.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 A$5.36
$0.31 ¥2.05
1106.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$197
$19.56 ¥131
603.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 A$6.47
$1.02 ¥6.82
342.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 A$1.95
$0.27 ¥1.81
403.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 A$43.62
$4.58 ¥30.62
564.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.11
$0.94 ¥6.32
56.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.5K
$19.6K ¥130.9K
48.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K A$37.9K
$14.8K ¥98.9K
78.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 A$335
$73.8 ¥493
216.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.93 A$40.01
$6.86 ¥45.89
307.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 A$79.9
$5.25 ¥35.09
961.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.40 A$70.8
$44.78 ¥299
10.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.48 A$30.77
$16.66 ¥111
28.93%
Cinema Ticket
$15.09 A$21.62
$5.17 ¥34.57
191.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,371 A$3,397
$219 ¥1,468
980.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.2K A$43.3K
$19.9K ¥132.8K
52.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.0 A$115
$34.41 ¥230
132.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 A$72.6
$42.30 ¥283
19.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$173
$58.8 ¥393
105.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 A$187
$51.8 ¥346
151.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,759 A$2,520
$302 ¥2,017
483.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 A$1,991
$182 ¥1,219
662.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,494 A$5,005
$622 ¥4,157
462.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,493 A$3,572
$369 ¥2,470
575.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,926 A$9,922
$3,496 ¥23.4K
98.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,445 A$9,233
$1,956 ¥13.1K
229.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Heze
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,383 A$6,279
$602 ¥4,025
628.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
3.13
88.50%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Heze: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Heze
$182 86.9% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$384
Heze
$187 51.4% $197
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$317
Heze
$86 72.9% $231
Eating Out
Melbourne
$315
Heze
$77 75.5% $238
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$172
Heze
$84 50.9% $87
Getting Around
Melbourne
$164
Heze
$23 85.9% $141
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$80
Heze
$55 30.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,759 in Melbourne versus $302 in Heze. 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 628% 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 $11.00 in Heze. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $187 – making Heze the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇨🇳 Heze
🕒 Local time
15:14 3:14 PM
12:14 12:14 PM
3 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
8,795,939
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Heze 8,680 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Heze

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 Heze: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Melbourne and in Heze compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne, $694 in Heze – roughly 306% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Melbourne compared to Heze?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,231 per month in Melbourne and $1,042 in Heze. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Melbourne and Heze?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Heze, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Melbourne and $11.00 in Heze. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Melbourne or Heze?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,821 in Melbourne and $694 in Heze. That's a gap of about 306%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Heze, where all-in costs run around $694, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Heze it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Melbourne or Heze?
Families tend to lean toward Heze – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Melbourne or Heze safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Melbourne and Heze?
If budget matters most, go with Heze. 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.

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