Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Itoman

For one person, living is cheaper in Itoman: $1,150 a month against $2,853 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,853
/mo nomad
Itoman
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,150
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Itoman

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

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Melbourne vs $1,150 in Itoman, rent included.

  • Melbourne $2,853
  • Itoman $1,150

A couple spends around $4,275 per month in Melbourne vs $1,811 in Itoman, rent included.

  • Melbourne $4,275
  • Itoman $1,811

A family of three spends $5,697 per month in Melbourne vs $2,473 in Itoman, rent included.

  • Melbourne $5,697
  • Itoman $2,473

Melbourne costs about 148% more than Itoman, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 111% above the global median, while Itoman is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.20 A$24.75
$3.12 ¥492
451.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.1 A$120
$40.23 ¥6,356
106.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.43 A$17.88
$3.71 ¥587
235.04%
Cappuccino
$4.05 A$5.82
$2.46 ¥389
64.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 A$4.50
$0.98 ¥155
218.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 A$3.54
$0.79 ¥125
211.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.52 A$13.71
$2.04 ¥322
366.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.16 A$11.74
$4.50 ¥711
81.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 A$2.25
$1.62 ¥255
-3.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.90 A$4.18
$0.80 ¥127
262.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 A$3.82
$2.10 ¥333
26.67%
Eggs
$5.37 A$7.72
$1.82 ¥287
195.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.67 A$15.36
$17.65 ¥2,789
-39.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.85 A$14.17
$2.91 ¥459
238.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.36 A$22.11
$7.06 ¥1,116
117.56%
Apples (1kg)
$4.17 A$6.00
$3.60 ¥570
15.83%
Banana (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.53
$2.60 ¥411
21.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 A$4.69
$2.14 ¥337
52.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 A$6.85
$4.99 ¥788
-4.61%
Potato (1kg)
$3.06 A$4.41
$2.46 ¥388
24.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 A$3.55
$2.56 ¥405
-3.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.45 A$3.52
$1.27 ¥201
92.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.34
$0.64 ¥101
154.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.17 A$65.0
$3.89 ¥614
1061.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.68 A$18.25
$5.54 ¥875
128.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.69 A$8.18
$1.96 ¥310
190.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.53
$3.33 ¥526
57.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.87 A$5.57
$1.50 ¥237
158.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$142 A$204
$53.7 ¥8,486
164.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.54 A$6.53
$3.76 ¥594
20.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 A$2.04
$3.46 ¥546
-58.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.59 A$44.01
$11.21 ¥1,770
172.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.11
$1.06 ¥167
38.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.9K A$41.5K
$20.8K ¥3.3M
38.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K A$37.3K
$15.0K ¥2.4M
72.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 A$338
$161 ¥25.4K
46.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.45 A$39.51
$25.40 ¥4,013
8.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.1 A$80.8
$37.99 ¥6,002
47.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.1 A$72.1
$52.9 ¥8,363
-5.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.49 A$30.93
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.76 A$25.56
$11.87 ¥1,875
49.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,385 A$3,432
$332 ¥52.4K
619.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.7K A$42.7K
$5,598 ¥884.4K
429.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 A$114
$48.55 ¥7,670
63.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.49 A$71.2
$23.71 ¥3,746
108.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 A$170
$48.74 ¥7,700
142.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 A$190
$96.5 ¥15.2K
36.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,763 A$2,537
$534 ¥84.4K
230.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,411 A$2,031
$330 ¥52.1K
327.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,522 A$5,069
$1,115 ¥176.2K
215.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 A$3,634
$729 ¥115.2K
246.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,136 A$10.3K
$4,191 ¥662.1K
70.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,355 A$9,144
$1,758 ¥277.8K
261.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Itoman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,258 A$6,128
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
2.23
164.57%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 17, 2026

Last update for Itoman: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Itoman
$330 76.6% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$388
Itoman
$249 36% $140
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$319
Itoman
$224 29.7% $95
Eating Out
Melbourne
$310
Itoman
$92 70.3% $218
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$171
Itoman
$98 42.6% $73
Getting Around
Melbourne
$169
Itoman
$81 52.2% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$86
Itoman
$77 10.5% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,763 in Melbourne versus $534 in Itoman. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Melbourne versus $40.00 in Itoman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $249 – making Itoman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇯🇵 Itoman
🕒 Local time
03:50 3:50 AM
01:50 1:50 AM
2 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
61,007
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 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 Itoman 7,330 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Itoman

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 Itoman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Itoman cheaper than Melbourne?
Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 148%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,280 per month in Melbourne and $1,725 in Itoman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Itoman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Melbourne or in Itoman?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Melbourne and $40.00 in Itoman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Melbourne and in Itoman?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,853 in Melbourne and $1,150 in Itoman. That's a gap of about 148%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Melbourne or in Itoman?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Itoman, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Melbourne at $2,853. In Itoman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Melbourne or Itoman more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Itoman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Melbourne or Itoman?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Itoman. 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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