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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Melbourne vs $2,346 in Karratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,689 per month in Melbourne vs $3,405 in Karratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,896 per month in Melbourne vs $4,464 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 85%, Karratha by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 A$26.94

$27.30 A$38.22

-29.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 A$110

$79.4 A$111

-1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 A$13.41

$9.06 A$12.68

5.74%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.09

$3.65 A$5.12

-0.55%

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

$2.51 A$3.52

$3.13 A$4.39

-19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.34

$2.21 A$3.10

8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 A$9.96

$6.42 A$8.98

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 A$10.12

$7.15 A$10.00

1.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.49 A$2.08

1.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.66

$2.40 A$3.36

9.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.01 A$2.81

16.42%

Eggs

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.27 A$5.98

9.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.40

$8.48 A$11.88

4.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 A$13.08

$8.29 A$11.61

12.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 A$20.73

$13.44 A$18.81

10.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$3.28 A$4.59

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$2.85 A$3.99

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.12

$3.02 A$4.22

-2.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 A$5.67

$4.10 A$5.74

-1.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.44 A$3.42

9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.26

$2.12 A$2.96

9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.11

$2.10 A$2.94

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.28

$1.54 A$2.16

5.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.09 A$46.32

$30.97 A$43.36

6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 A$19.99

$14.47 A$20.26

-1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.47 A$6.26

4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.40

$5.31 A$7.43

-0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 A$4.91

$2.66 A$3.72

31.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$169

$65.2 A$91.3

85.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.91

$3.49 A$4.88

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.93

$1.53 A$2.15

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 A$38.55

$33.11 A$46.35

-16.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.64

$1.13 A$1.58

3.54%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$28.6K A$40.1K

2.77%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$22.8K A$32.0K

3.94%

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

$153 A$214

$186 A$260

-17.69%

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

$21.03 A$29.44

$27.63 A$38.68

-23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 A$70.3

$51.8 A$72.6

-3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 A$70.0

$49.66 A$69.5

0.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$22.74

$15.78 A$22.09

2.92%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 A$22.60

$12.80 A$17.92

26.09%

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

$1,768 A$2,476

$1,632 A$2,285

8.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.8K

$11.9K A$16.6K

61.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 A$95.8

$67.0 A$93.9

2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 A$73.9

$50.3 A$70.4

4.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$150

$98.8 A$138

8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 A$2,184

$1,273 A$1,782

22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 A$1,699

$1,065 A$1,491

13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 A$4,213

$2,037 A$2,852

47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 A$2,778

$1,660 A$2,324

19.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,460 A$10.4K

$5,335 A$7,468

39.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,569 A$9,197

$4,722 A$6,611

39.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,305 A$6,027

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: April 20, 2026

Last update for Karratha: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,560 in Melbourne versus $1,273 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 $78 in Melbourne versus $79 in Karratha. Groceries tell a different story – $356 in Melbourne vs $338 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: $2,482 in Melbourne, $2,346 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 $3,723 per month in Melbourne and $3,519 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 $2,482 in Melbourne and $2,346 in Karratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Karratha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Karratha, where all-in costs run around $2,346, than in Melbourne at $2,482. In Karratha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.