Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ipswich Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ipswich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,894 per month in Melbourne vs $2,102 in Ipswich, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,377 per month in Melbourne vs $2,961 in Ipswich, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,860 per month in Melbourne vs $3,820 in Ipswich, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 38% more than Ipswich, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Melbourne and Ipswich sit above the global median – Melbourne by 111%, Ipswich by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$24.92

$32.42 A$45.01

-44.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$117

$78.2 A$109

8.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.01

$9.99 A$13.87

22.72%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.86

$4.63 A$6.43

-8.86%

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

$3.16 A$4.38

$3.84 A$5.34

-17.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.70

$2.45 A$3.40

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.86

$9.19 A$12.76

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.26

$7.93 A$11.01

11.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.29

$2.47 A$3.42

-33.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.73

$2.56 A$3.55

32.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.87

$2.34 A$3.24

19.23%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.89

$7.70 A$10.69

-26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.69

$7.33 A$10.18

54.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.42

$8.77 A$12.18

10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$21.90

$14.56 A$20.21

8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.82

$3.40 A$4.72

23.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.19

$2.70 A$3.74

11.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.55

$2.92 A$4.05

11.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.68

$4.05 A$5.63

18.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.52

$1.99 A$2.76

63.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.61

$2.20 A$3.06

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.49

$2.48 A$3.44

1.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.28

$1.84 A$2.56

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.0

$45.22 A$62.8

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.75

$22.29 A$30.95

-45.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.61

$6.59 A$9.15

-16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.15

$7.60 A$10.55

-32.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.31

$0.38 A$0.52

907.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$5.98

$2.24 A$3.11

92.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.04

$1.61 A$2.23

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.06

$36.52 A$50.7

-15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.43 A$1.99

2.10%

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

$29.5K A$41.0K

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

$27.7K A$38.5K

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

$242 A$336

$93.2 A$129

160.01%

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

$28.20 A$39.15

$32.13 A$44.60

-12.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.4

$64.5 A$89.5

-11.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.0

$18.13 A$25.17

209.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.14

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.83

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

$2,443 A$3,392

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$45.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$114

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$175

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$192

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,462

$1,055 A$1,464

68.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,981

$1,047 A$1,453

36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,864

$1,444 A$2,004

142.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,494

$1,421 A$1,972

77.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,326

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,216

$4,362 A$6,055

2.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.98

-2.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,774 in Melbourne versus $1,055 in Ipswich. 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 3% 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 $78.0 in Ipswich. Groceries tell a different story – $397 in Melbourne vs $400 in Ipswich – so Melbourne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,341 per month in Melbourne and $3,153 in Ipswich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Melbourne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Melbourne and $78.0 in Ipswich. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ipswich, where all-in costs run around $2,102, than in Melbourne at $2,894. In Ipswich it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ipswich – 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 Ipswich. 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.