Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mackay Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mackay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,910 per month in Melbourne vs $2,233 in Mackay, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Melbourne vs $3,540 in Mackay, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,905 per month in Melbourne vs $4,848 in Mackay, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 30% more than Mackay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Mackay sit above the global median – Melbourne by 111%, Mackay by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.88 A$24.92

2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$80.8 A$113

7.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$13.22 A$18.44

-5.75%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.21 A$5.88

-0.95%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.37 A$4.70

-6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.93 A$4.09

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.21 A$10.05

39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.42 A$10.35

14.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$2.06 A$2.87

-21.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$2.69 A$3.74

22.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.91 A$4.06

3.78%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$6.08 A$8.48

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$9.72 A$13.55

13.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$8.69 A$12.11

14.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$16.71 A$23.30

-5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.94 A$5.50

11.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$3.04 A$4.24

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.22 A$4.50

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$6.76 A$9.42

-27.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.63 A$3.67

19.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.75 A$3.83

-3.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$3.18 A$4.44

-20.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$3.21 A$4.48

-47.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$44.49 A$62.0

3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$8.83 A$12.31

42.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.26 A$7.33

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$6.39 A$8.91

-16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$2.59 A$3.62

55.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$73.5 A$102

93.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$5.82 A$8.12

-19.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$2.22 A$3.09

-36.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$36.71 A$51.2

-14.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.24 A$1.73

15.32%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$28.4K A$39.5K

3.85%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$37.1K A$51.7K

-27.35%

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

$239 A$334

$239 A$333

0.08%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$30.33 A$42.28

-7.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$82.9 A$116

-30.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$53.3 A$74.3

4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$21.56 A$30.06

5.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$16.80 A$23.43

6.49%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$1,918 A$2,674

28.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$6,755 A$9,418

366.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$74.4 A$104

10.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$52.0 A$72.5

0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$130 A$181

-7.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$108 A$151

26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$973 A$1,357

82.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$837 A$1,166

74.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$1,935 A$2,698

84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,857 A$2,589

38.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$3,294 A$4,592

120.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$1,778 A$2,479

287.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$5,814 A$8,106

-23.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.63

3.73%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mackay: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,777 in Melbourne versus $973 in Mackay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Mackay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Melbourne versus $81.0 in Mackay. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in Melbourne vs $412 in Mackay – so Melbourne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mackay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,366 per month in Melbourne and $3,349 in Mackay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mackay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Melbourne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Melbourne and $81.0 in Mackay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mackay, where all-in costs run around $2,233, than in Melbourne at $2,910. In Mackay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mackay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mackay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.