Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Karratha Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Karratha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,910 per month in Melbourne vs $2,750 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Melbourne vs $3,929 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,905 per month in Melbourne vs $5,109 in Karratha, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 6% more than Karratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Melbourne and Karratha sit above the global median – Melbourne by 111%, Karratha by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.49

$30.86 A$42.73

-40.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$120

$86.4 A$120

0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.26

$10.15 A$14.05

22.76%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.77

$4.08 A$5.64

2.21%

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

$3.15 A$4.37

$3.40 A$4.70

-7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.67

$2.58 A$3.57

2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$13.91

$8.08 A$11.19

24.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.78

$7.38 A$10.21

15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.23

$1.70 A$2.35

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.55

$2.79 A$3.86

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.18

$2.32 A$3.21

30.17%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.31

$5.17 A$7.16

16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.31

$9.38 A$12.99

17.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.73

$9.69 A$13.41

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$21.97

$14.86 A$20.57

6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.11

$3.58 A$4.96

23.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.46

$3.19 A$4.41

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.77

$3.40 A$4.70

1.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.80

$4.76 A$6.59

3.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.34

$2.64 A$3.65

18.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.68

$2.42 A$3.35

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.48

$2.43 A$3.37

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.34

$1.61 A$2.23

4.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.0

$39.80 A$55.1

16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.42

$14.38 A$19.91

-12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.49

$5.02 A$6.95

7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.38

$5.29 A$7.32

0.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.58

$3.15 A$4.37

27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$196

$87.6 A$121

62.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.51

$3.65 A$5.05

29.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.95

$1.62 A$2.24

-12.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.37

$40.59 A$56.2

-22.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.98

$1.26 A$1.74

13.49%

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

$29.5K A$40.8K

$28.5K A$39.5K

3.33%

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

$27.0K A$37.3K

$31.4K A$43.4K

-14.02%

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

$239 A$331

$210 A$291

13.76%

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

$28.19 A$39.03

$28.18 A$39.01

0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.4

$58.2 A$80.6

-1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.4

$58.5 A$80.9

-4.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.46

$18.66 A$25.83

21.76%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.77

$15.66 A$21.69

14.24%

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

$2,456 A$3,400

$2,193 A$3,037

11.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$43.7K

$21.3K A$29.4K

48.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$114

$79.3 A$110

3.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.1

$55.2 A$76.4

-5.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$167

$112 A$156

7.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$189

$125 A$174

9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,460

$1,481 A$2,050

20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,018

$1,297 A$1,795

12.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,931

$2,256 A$3,124

57.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,556

$1,848 A$2,559

38.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,761 A$9,361

7.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,549

$5,120 A$7,089

34.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,173

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.85

-0.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Karratha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,481 in Karratha. 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 $86.0 in Melbourne versus $86.0 in Karratha. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in Melbourne vs $377 in Karratha – so Karratha 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 Karratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne, $2,750 in Karratha – roughly 6% apart. Melbourne costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,366 per month in Melbourne and $4,124 in Karratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,910 in Melbourne and $2,750 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Karratha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,910 in Melbourne and $2,750 in Karratha. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Karratha – 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 Karratha. 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.