Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Kununurra Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Kununurra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,674 in Kununurra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,788 in Kununurra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,902 in Kununurra.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kununurra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Kununurra 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$18.22 A$25.40

1.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$86.2 A$120

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.59 A$14.76

17.66%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.12 A$5.75

1.21%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.92 A$4.07

7.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.24 A$3.12

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.91 A$11.03

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.38 A$10.28

15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.67 A$2.33

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.68 A$3.74

22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.27 A$3.16

33.04%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$5.17 A$7.21

16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.50 A$13.24

16.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$9.60 A$13.39

3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$15.02 A$20.94

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.56 A$4.97

23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.13 A$4.36

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.34 A$4.66

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.88 A$6.80

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.66 A$3.71

18.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.49 A$3.48

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.43 A$3.38

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.70 A$2.37

-0.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$28.45 A$39.67

62.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$14.50 A$20.22

-13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.17 A$7.21

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.45 A$7.60

-2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$3.19 A$4.45

26.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$87.0 A$121

63.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$3.55 A$4.95

32.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.60 A$2.23

-11.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$40.74 A$56.8

-23.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.25 A$1.75

14.40%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.3K A$39.5K

3.94%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$30.9K A$43.1K

-12.87%

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

$239 A$334

$214 A$299

11.59%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$27.53 A$38.39

2.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$59.1 A$82.4

-2.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$56.5 A$78.8

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$18.30 A$25.51

24.15%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$16.04 A$22.37

11.53%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,244 A$3,128

9.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$20.8K A$29.0K

51.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$78.2 A$109

5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$55.9 A$78.0

-6.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$114 A$159

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$127 A$177

7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,465 A$2,043

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,284 A$1,790

13.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,305 A$3,213

54.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,913 A$2,667

34.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,528 A$9,102

11.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,135 A$7,159

34.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

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 Kununurra: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,465 in Kununurra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $86.0 in Kununurra. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $378, with Kununurra cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kununurra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kununurra wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kununurra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $4,011 in Kununurra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,465 in Kununurra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kununurra – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $86.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,674 in Kununurra – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kununurra is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Kununurra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kununurra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.