Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Lod Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Lod

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,768 in Lod.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $4,182 in Lod.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $5,596 in Lod.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 5% more expensive than in Lod, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Lod 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$23.79 ₪72.1

-22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$101 ₪305

-13.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$19.83 ₪60.1

-37.17%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$5.10 ₪15.47

-18.24%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.68 ₪11.16

-14.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.85 ₪8.64

-7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$8.12 ₪24.61

23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$10.47 ₪31.73

-18.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$2.40 ₪7.26

-32.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.30 ₪10.01

-0.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$3.64 ₪11.01

-17.03%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$4.80 ₪14.55

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$17.41 ₪52.8

-36.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$14.80 ₪44.86

-32.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$25.46 ₪77.2

-37.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.55 ₪13.79

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.38 ₪10.23

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$2.50 ₪7.57

38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$2.38 ₪7.22

106.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$1.89 ₪5.73

66.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.69 ₪5.13

57.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.02 ₪6.13

24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.94 ₪5.89

-12.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$13.58 ₪41.15

240.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$15.70 ₪47.57

-19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$3.86 ₪11.71

40.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$5.03 ₪15.23

5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$2.78 ₪8.42

44.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$79.9 ₪242

77.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$4.07 ₪12.33

15.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.11 ₪3.36

27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$19.80 ₪60.0

58.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$2.71 ₪8.22

-47.23%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$57.7K ₪175.0K

-48.98%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$60.6K ₪183.6K

-55.52%

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

$239 A$334

$298 ₪903

-19.72%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$11.62 ₪35.22

142.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$35.51 ₪108

61.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$83.3 ₪252

-32.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$15.23 ₪46.14

17.47%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$1,469 ₪4,450

67.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$29.5K ₪89.3K

7.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$117 ₪355

-29.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$78.1 ₪237

-33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$152 ₪460

-20.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$162 ₪492

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,655 ₪5,016

7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,140 ₪3,454

27.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,408 ₪7,296

47.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$2,087 ₪6,323

23.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$8,438 ₪25.6K

-13.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$8,500 ₪25.8K

-18.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$2,695 ₪8,165

65.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

4.99

17.03%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lod: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,655 in Lod. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $101 in Lod for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $460 per month, with Melbourne cheaper across the board.

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 Lod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lod is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,655 in Lod. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $1,469 in Lod. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Lod 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 Lod 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 Lod gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.