Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Kinmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Kinmen: $1,103 a month against $2,852 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,852
/mo nomad
Kinmen
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,103
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Kinmen

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

A single person spends $2,852 per month in Melbourne vs $1,103 in Kinmen, rent included.

  • Melbourne $2,852
  • Kinmen $1,103

A couple spends around $4,297 per month in Melbourne vs $1,846 in Kinmen, rent included.

  • Melbourne $4,297
  • Kinmen $1,846

A family of three spends $5,742 per month in Melbourne vs $2,588 in Kinmen, rent included.

  • Melbourne $5,742
  • Kinmen $2,588

Melbourne costs about 159% more than Kinmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 113% above the global median, while Kinmen is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.75 A$25.40
$4.63 NT$148
283.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.8 A$121
$30.89 NT$986
174.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.16 A$17.40
$4.62 NT$147
163.20%
Cappuccino
$3.93 A$5.62
$2.93 NT$93.4
34.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 A$4.49
$0.91 NT$29.15
245.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 A$3.47
$0.64 NT$20.42
279.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.90 A$14.17
$1.55 NT$49.41
538.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.29 A$11.86
$2.54 NT$81.0
226.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 A$2.21
$3.03 NT$96.5
-48.84%
White Bread (500g)
$3.01 A$4.31
$1.90 NT$60.8
58.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.88 A$4.12
$3.28 NT$105
-12.20%
Eggs
$5.44 A$7.79
$2.66 NT$84.9
104.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.59 A$15.16
$17.16 NT$548
-38.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.61 A$13.76
$7.93 NT$253
21.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.99 A$21.46
$22.08 NT$705
-32.11%
Apples (1kg)
$4.15 A$5.94
$4.20 NT$134
-1.19%
Banana (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.37
$2.13 NT$68.0
43.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.30 A$4.72
$3.02 NT$96.4
9.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 A$6.81
$3.39 NT$108
40.41%
Potato (1kg)
$3.04 A$4.34
$2.82 NT$90.1
7.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.55 A$3.65
$2.20 NT$70.2
15.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.48 A$3.55
$2.09 NT$66.6
18.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.33
$1.04 NT$33.16
56.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.07 A$63.1
$3.38 NT$108
1203.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.43 A$17.79
$12.50 NT$399
-0.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.33 A$7.63
$1.63 NT$52.2
226.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16 A$7.38
$2.30 NT$73.4
124.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.84 A$5.50
$0.71 NT$22.54
440.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$142 A$203
$32.25 NT$1,029
338.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.40 A$6.29
$2.61 NT$83.3
68.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 A$2.01
$0.90 NT$28.74
55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.83 A$42.69
$9.69 NT$309
207.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 A$2.09
$1.07 NT$34.15
36.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K A$40.3K
$36.4K NT$1.2M
-22.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K A$37.1K
$25.8K NT$823.9K
0.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$233 A$333
$87.2 NT$2,783
166.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.28 A$39.04
$16.22 NT$518
68.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.0 A$81.6
$22.12 NT$706
157.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 A$75.4
$40.94 NT$1,306
28.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.62 A$32.37
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.10 A$24.48
$8.63 NT$275
98.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,373 A$3,397
$585 NT$18.7K
305.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.5K A$43.6K
$16.0K NT$510.0K
90.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.2 A$112
$72.2 NT$2,305
8.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5 A$72.2
$27.56 NT$880
83.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$172
$91.1 NT$2,908
32.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 A$191
$89.4 NT$2,852
49.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 A$2,451
$409 NT$13.1K
318.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,402 A$2,006
$254 NT$8,118
451.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,339 A$4,778
$986 NT$31.5K
238.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,529 A$3,619
$743 NT$23.7K
240.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,018 A$10.0K
$7,945 NT$253.5K
-11.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,767 A$9,685
$4,645 NT$148.2K
45.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Kinmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,228 A$6,051
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
2.38
147.90%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Kinmen
$254 81.9% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$385
Kinmen
$365 5.3% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$317
Kinmen
$126 60.4% $191
Eating Out
Melbourne
$314
Kinmen
$105 66.5% $209
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$172
Kinmen
$126 26.7% $46
Getting Around
Melbourne
$168
Kinmen
$42 74.9% $126
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$87
Kinmen
$58 33% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,713 in Melbourne versus $409 in Kinmen. 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 $31.00 in Kinmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $365 – making Kinmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇹🇼 Kinmen
🕒 Local time
15:57 3:57 PM
12:57 12:57 PM
3 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
12,568
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 31.91 TWD (100 TWD = 3.13 USD). 1 EUR = 35.79 TWD (100 TWD = 2.79 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Kinmen 7,460 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Kinmen

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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kinmen cheaper than Melbourne?
Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 159%, 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 $4,277 per month in Melbourne and $1,654 in Kinmen. 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 Kinmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,373 per month in Melbourne and $585 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Melbourne and in Kinmen?
Groceries cost about 6% 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 Kinmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,103, than in Melbourne at $2,852. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Melbourne or Kinmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – 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 Kinmen?
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 Kinmen. 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.

Melbourne vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?