Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Kalimantan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalimantan: $639 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $26,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,821
/mo nomad
Kalimantan
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Kalimantan

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

A single person spends $2,821 per month in Melbourne vs $639 in Kalimantan, rent included.

  • Melbourne $2,821
  • Kalimantan $639

A couple spends around $4,235 per month in Melbourne vs $984 in Kalimantan, rent included.

  • Melbourne $4,235
  • Kalimantan $984

A family of three spends $5,650 per month in Melbourne vs $1,328 in Kalimantan, rent included.

  • Melbourne $5,650
  • Kalimantan $1,328

Melbourne costs about 341% more than Kalimantan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 109% above the global median, while Kalimantan is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.43 A$25.08
$1.65 Rp 29.7K
956.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 A$122
$14.21 Rp 255.9K
495.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.46 A$17.92
$3.73 Rp 67.1K
234.05%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.91
$1.49 Rp 26.8K
175.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 A$4.40
$0.46 Rp 8,364
565.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 A$3.62
$0.23 Rp 4,226
995.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.80 A$14.10
$2.36 Rp 42.4K
315.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.57 A$12.33
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
148.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.14
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
40.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.23
$1.21 Rp 21.7K
142.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 A$3.82
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
264.38%
Eggs
$5.54 A$7.97
$1.33 Rp 23.9K
316.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 A$15.13
$7.03 Rp 126.5K
49.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.65 A$13.89
$3.02 Rp 54.4K
219.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.22 A$21.91
$7.24 Rp 130.3K
110.22%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 A$5.75
$2.02 Rp 36.4K
97.52%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.34
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
174.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 A$4.46
$1.69 Rp 30.5K
83.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 A$6.93
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
338.18%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.36
$1.40 Rp 25.1K
116.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 A$3.52
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
26.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 A$3.54
$0.75 Rp 13.4K
228.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.34
$0.43 Rp 7,748
279.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.07 A$63.4
$2.51 Rp 45.2K
1655.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 A$18.28
$24.07 Rp 433.3K
-47.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 A$7.97
$1.74 Rp 31.3K
218.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.52
$2.66 Rp 47.9K
96.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 A$5.38
$0.29 Rp 5,282
1189.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$198
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 A$6.50
$0.53 Rp 9,475
750.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 A$1.96
$0.39 Rp 7,011
248.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 A$43.81
$2.59 Rp 46.7K
1075.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.12
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
96.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.7K
$21.9K Rp 394.1M
32.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K A$38.1K
$27.2K Rp 490.2M
-2.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 A$336
$68.9 Rp 1.2M
239.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.93 A$40.19
$3.73 Rp 67.1K
648.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 A$80.2
$19.85 Rp 357.3K
180.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.40 A$71.1
$18.32 Rp 329.7K
169.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.48 A$30.91
$8.79 Rp 158.1K
144.37%
Cinema Ticket
$15.09 A$21.72
$3.11 Rp 56.0K
385.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,371 A$3,412
$102 Rp 1.8M
2213.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.2K A$43.5K
$6,826 Rp 122.9M
342.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.0 A$115
$47.05 Rp 847.0K
69.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 A$73.0
$26.14 Rp 470.5K
93.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$174
$83.9 Rp 1.5M
43.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 A$188
$61.5 Rp 1.1M
112.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,759 A$2,531
$235 Rp 4.2M
648.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 A$2,000
$160 Rp 2.9M
766.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,494 A$5,027
$614 Rp 11.1M
469.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,493 A$3,588
$333 Rp 6.0M
648.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,926 A$9,967
$1,308 Rp 23.5M
429.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,445 A$9,274
$687 Rp 12.4M
838.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Kalimantan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,383 A$6,307
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
9.46
-37.63%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kalimantan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Kalimantan
$160 88.5% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$384
Kalimantan
$196 49% $188
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$317
Kalimantan
$92 70.9% $225
Eating Out
Melbourne
$315
Kalimantan
$64 79.7% $251
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$172
Kalimantan
$98 42.7% $73
Getting Around
Melbourne
$164
Kalimantan
$3.7 * 97.8% $160
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$80
Kalimantan
$25 69.2% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,759 in Melbourne versus $235 in Kalimantan. 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 $85.0 in Melbourne versus $14.00 in Kalimantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $196 – making Kalimantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇮🇩 Kalimantan
🕒 Local time
18:07 6:07 PM
15:07 3:07 PM
3 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Kalimantan 5,350 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Kalimantan

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 Kalimantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalimantan cheaper than Melbourne?
Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 341%, 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 $4,231 per month in Melbourne and $959 in Kalimantan. 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 Kalimantan, 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 Kalimantan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Melbourne and $14.00 in Kalimantan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Melbourne and in Kalimantan?
Groceries cost about 96% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Melbourne or in Kalimantan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalimantan, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Kalimantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Melbourne or Kalimantan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kalimantan – 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 Kalimantan?
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 Kalimantan. 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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