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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,262 in Kununurra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,317 in Kununurra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,373 in Kununurra.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 7% more expensive than in Kununurra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Kununurra 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$16.40 A$23.49

18.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$77.8 A$111

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.46 A$4.96

7.80%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.63 A$3.77

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.19 A$3.14

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.44 A$9.22

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.21 A$10.33

-3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.43 A$2.05

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.35 A$3.37

9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.95 A$2.79

20.00%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.38 A$6.28

10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.36 A$11.98

4.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.26 A$11.83

12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$13.81 A$19.79

5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.24 A$4.65

2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.77 A$3.98

1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.86 A$4.10

4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$4.05 A$5.81

-1.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.47 A$3.54

8.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.20 A$3.15

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.18 A$3.12

0.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.58 A$2.26

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$25.57 A$36.63

24.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$13.66 A$19.57

1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.60 A$6.59

1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.39 A$7.73

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.55 A$3.66

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$64.6 A$92.6

86.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.65 A$5.22

-2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.55 A$2.22

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$33.11 A$47.44

-16.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.18 A$1.69

-2.54%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.7K A$41.1K

1.64%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$22.6K A$32.4K

1.48%

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

$154 A$220

$184 A$264

-16.39%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$27.08 A$38.79

-22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$53.4 A$76.5

-3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$49.53 A$71.0

-1.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.92 A$22.80

2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$13.17 A$18.87

21.26%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,618 A$2,318

9.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$12.2K A$17.5K

59.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$68.9 A$98.7

-2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$50.2 A$71.9

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$98.7 A$141

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$109 A$157

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,260 A$1,805

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,057 A$1,515

14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$2,056 A$2,946

47.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,699 A$2,434

19.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$5,817 A$8,334

21.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,784 A$8,286

11.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kununurra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,260 in Kununurra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Kununurra. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $336, 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 7% 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 $3,630 in Melbourne and $3,393 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,260 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 $78.0 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,420 per month in Melbourne versus $2,262 in Kununurra – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,262 in Kununurra versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kununurra but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Kununurra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.