Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mandurah Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mandurah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $2,104 in Mandurah, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $3,097 in Mandurah, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $4,089 in Mandurah, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 15% more than Mandurah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Melbourne and Mandurah sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Mandurah by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.52 A$23.02

19.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.2 A$108

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$10.59 A$14.75

-8.40%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.78 A$5.27

-3.17%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.48 A$3.46

4.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.95 A$2.71

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$5.82 A$8.12

23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.64 A$9.26

5.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.39 A$1.94

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.19 A$3.05

21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.93 A$2.69

21.24%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.53 A$6.31

5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.37 A$11.66

4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.31 A$11.58

13.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.18 A$18.37

9.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.26 A$4.55

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.85 A$3.97

-2.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.96 A$4.13

1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.66 A$6.50

-15.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$1.54 A$2.15

74.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$0.81 A$1.13

191.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.86 A$2.59

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.49 A$2.08

9.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$32.30 A$45.01

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$12.73 A$17.74

10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.95 A$5.50

17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$4.25 A$5.92

18.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$3.34 A$4.66

4.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$84.9 A$118

41.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.94 A$5.50

-11.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$2.18 A$3.04

-38.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$49.83 A$69.5

-45.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.17 A$1.63

1.71%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.5K A$39.7K

3.35%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$24.7K A$34.5K

-4.68%

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

$150 A$209

$154 A$215

-2.64%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$16.53 A$23.03

28.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$54.8 A$76.4

-8.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$31.96 A$44.53

53.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$9.57 A$13.33

71.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$7.93 A$11.05

107.19%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,768 A$2,464

-0.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.8K A$16.5K

61.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$71.1 A$99.1

-3.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$41.35 A$57.6

28.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$104 A$145

2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$72.8 A$101

43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,279 A$1,783

22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,027 A$1,431

16.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,317 A$3,229

31.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,639 A$2,284

21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,298 A$5,989

4.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.8

6.72%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mandurah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,279 in Mandurah. 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 5% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne versus $77.0 in Mandurah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $322 – making Mandurah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mandurah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 15% more than Mandurah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $3,157 in Mandurah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,764 per month in Melbourne and $1,768 in Mandurah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Melbourne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mandurah, where all-in costs run around $2,104, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Mandurah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mandurah – 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 Mandurah. 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.