Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Horsham Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Horsham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,418 in Melbourne versus $2,188 in Horsham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,660 in Melbourne versus $3,173 in Horsham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,902 in Melbourne versus $4,158 in Horsham.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 11% more expensive than Horsham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Horsham 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.16 A$27.07

$12.97 A$18.32

47.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$112

$64.9 A$91.7

21.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 A$14.19

$9.97 A$14.09

0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.56 A$5.03

$3.22 A$4.55

10.56%

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

$2.59 A$3.66

$2.50 A$3.54

3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.37

$1.92 A$2.71

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 A$10.65

$7.33 A$10.36

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 A$10.16

$7.32 A$10.35

-1.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.15

$1.45 A$2.05

4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.58

$2.63 A$3.72

-3.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.24 A$3.17

0.89%

Eggs

$4.64 A$6.56

$4.67 A$6.60

-0.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 A$12.77

$8.93 A$12.61

1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 A$13.44

$9.49 A$13.41

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 A$20.82

$14.89 A$21.04

-1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.72

$3.19 A$4.51

4.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.01

$2.78 A$3.93

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.09

$2.96 A$4.18

-2.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.59

$4.09 A$5.77

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.91

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.32

$2.32 A$3.27

1.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$2.99

$2.23 A$3.16

-4.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.24

$1.58 A$2.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.41 A$45.79

$33.14 A$46.82

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.66

$10.67 A$15.07

30.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.34

$4.57 A$6.46

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.36

$5.31 A$7.50

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 A$5.19

$2.63 A$3.71

39.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$170

$65.9 A$93.1

82.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.97

$3.53 A$4.99

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.96

$1.36 A$1.92

2.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.24 A$38.49

$26.77 A$37.82

1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.67

$1.18 A$1.66

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

$29.2K A$41.2K

$29.3K A$41.4K

-0.49%

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

$23.5K A$33.2K

$22.9K A$32.3K

2.59%

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

$152 A$215

$149 A$211

1.85%

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

$20.95 A$29.60

$13.13 A$18.55

59.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$72.5

$49.12 A$69.4

4.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.31 A$68.3

$47.90 A$67.7

0.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 A$22.51

$15.99 A$22.60

-0.38%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 A$22.60

$15.97 A$22.56

0.13%

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

$1,729 A$2,443

$1,771 A$2,503

-2.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.5K

$19.3K A$27.3K

1.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 A$95.6

$67.0 A$94.6

1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 A$74.5

$54.2 A$76.5

-2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$147

$106 A$150

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$146

$106 A$149

-1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 A$2,162

$1,275 A$1,802

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 A$1,738

$1,047 A$1,480

17.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,959 A$4,181

$2,030 A$2,869

45.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 A$2,795

$1,684 A$2,379

17.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,928 A$9,789

$6,448 A$9,111

7.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,056 A$8,556

$5,725 A$8,088

5.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,479 A$6,329

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.5

12.55%

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

Last update for Melbourne: June 9, 2026

Last update for Horsham: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,530 in Melbourne and $1,275 in Horsham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $65.0 in Horsham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $348 per month, with Horsham cheaper across the board.

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 Horsham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Horsham is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,627 in Melbourne and $3,281 in Horsham 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: $1,530 in Melbourne versus $1,275 in Horsham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Horsham runs roughly 83% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,729 in Melbourne versus $1,771 in Horsham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,188 in Horsham versus $2,418 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Horsham but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Horsham 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 Horsham 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 Horsham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.