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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,836 in Logan City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $2,760 in Logan City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,685 in Logan City.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 32% more expensive than in Logan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Logan City 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$8.23 A$11.79

135.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$32.94 A$47.20

135.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$8.86 A$12.69

11.17%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$2.98 A$4.27

25.17%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.25 A$3.22

16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$1.99 A$2.85

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$5.88 A$8.42

25.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$4.78 A$6.85

45.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.07 A$1.53

40.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$1.32 A$1.89

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.33 A$1.91

75.94%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$3.60 A$5.16

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$6.35 A$9.10

37.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$6.66 A$9.54

39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$12.31 A$17.64

18.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.60 A$5.16

-7.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.83 A$4.05

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.65 A$5.22

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.84 A$5.51

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$1.44 A$2.06

85.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$1.65 A$2.37

35.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.64 A$2.35

33.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$2.39 A$3.43

-31.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$31.53 A$45.17

1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$14.39 A$20.61

-3.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$1.93 A$2.77

141.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$6.55 A$9.38

-23.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.59 A$3.70

35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$65.5 A$93.9

84.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$2.05 A$2.94

73.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.39 A$1.99

0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$34.16 A$48.94

-19.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.20 A$1.72

-4.17%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.3K A$42.0K

-0.57%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$21.6K A$31.0K

6.12%

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

$154 A$220

$218 A$312

-29.33%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$16.22 A$23.24

29.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$39.18 A$56.1

31.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$51.9 A$74.4

-5.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$16.50 A$23.64

-1.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$10.51 A$15.06

51.95%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$2,179 A$3,121

-18.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$7,217 A$10.3K

170.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$62.0 A$88.8

8.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$47.70 A$68.3

14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$91.3 A$131

15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$64.1 A$91.9

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$906 A$1,299

73.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$782 A$1,120

54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$1,534 A$2,198

98.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,537 A$2,203

31.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$3,401 A$4,873

108.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$3,257 A$4,666

97.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

$3,165 A$4,535

38.94%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Logan City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $906 in Logan City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 39% 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: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $33.00 in Logan City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $906 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 $33.00 versus $77.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,836 in Logan City versus $2,420 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 32% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.