Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Logan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Logan City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $1,789 in Logan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $2,740 in Logan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,692 in Logan City.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 35% more expensive than Logan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Logan City 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$8.27 A$11.52

138.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$32.34 A$45.07

143.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$8.86 A$12.35

9.48%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.00 A$4.18

22.00%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.32 A$3.24

12.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.92 A$2.68

21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$5.97 A$8.32

20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$4.85 A$6.76

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.02 A$1.42

42.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.32 A$1.84

101.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.33 A$1.86

75.94%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.48 A$4.85

37.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$6.58 A$9.17

33.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$6.62 A$9.22

42.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$12.20 A$17.00

18.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.67 A$5.11

-9.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.81 A$3.92

-1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$3.76 A$5.24

-20.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$3.72 A$5.18

6.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$1.44 A$2.00

86.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.65 A$2.30

43.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.61 A$2.25

32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$2.46 A$3.43

-33.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.54 A$43.94

2.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.57 A$20.31

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$1.95 A$2.71

137.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$6.48 A$9.03

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.62 A$3.65

33.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.7 A$91.5

82.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$2.00 A$2.79

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.40 A$1.95

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.18 A$46.23

-18.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.4K A$39.6K

3.52%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.1K A$30.9K

6.46%

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

$150 A$209

$220 A$307

-31.88%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$16.57 A$23.08

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$39.43 A$55.0

27.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$52.5 A$73.1

-6.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$16.09 A$22.42

1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$10.50 A$14.64

56.48%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$2,157 A$3,006

-18.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$7,011 A$9,770

173.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$62.1 A$86.5

10.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$47.06 A$65.6

13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$90.7 A$126

17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$65.8 A$91.7

58.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$898 A$1,251

75.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$788 A$1,098

51.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,543 A$2,150

97.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,587 A$2,211

25.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$3,633 A$5,062

103.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$3,300 A$4,599

97.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$3,366 A$4,691

34.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.5

-4.77%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Logan City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $898 in Logan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 34% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $32.00 in Logan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $296 per month, with Logan City 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 Logan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Logan City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Melbourne pays 34% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $898 in Logan City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Logan City – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $79.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,789 in Logan City versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Logan City but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Logan City 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 Logan City 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 Logan City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.