Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Margaret River Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Margaret River

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,416 per month in Melbourne vs $2,238 in Margaret River, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Melbourne vs $3,282 in Margaret River, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,742 per month in Melbourne vs $4,326 in Margaret River, rent included.

Melbourne costs about 8% more than Margaret River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Melbourne and Margaret River sit above the global median – Melbourne by 80%, Margaret River by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$15.95 A$22.23

23.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.6 A$109

0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$10.31 A$14.37

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.65 A$5.09

0.27%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.58 A$3.59

0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.98 A$2.76

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.68 A$10.70

-6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.37 A$8.88

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.41 A$1.96

2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.45 A$3.42

8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.94 A$2.71

20.62%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.60 A$6.41

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.66 A$12.07

1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.55 A$11.92

10.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.59 A$18.94

6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.49 A$4.86

-4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.89 A$4.03

-4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.83 A$3.94

6.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.72 A$6.57

-16.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.44 A$3.40

9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.71 A$2.39

38.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.91 A$2.66

12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.45 A$2.02

12.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$32.16 A$44.81

0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$12.91 A$17.99

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.88 A$5.40

19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$4.26 A$5.93

18.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.68 A$3.73

30.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.5 A$91.3

83.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.91 A$5.45

-10.49%

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

$49.46 A$68.9

-45.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.13 A$1.57

5.31%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.6K A$39.8K

3.06%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$24.2K A$33.8K

-2.75%

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

$150 A$209

$156 A$218

-3.99%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$28.53 A$39.76

-25.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$54.4 A$75.7

-7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.45 A$67.5

1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.99 A$22.28

2.38%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$16.58 A$23.10

-0.90%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,772 A$2,470

-0.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.1K A$16.8K

59.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$70.9 A$98.8

-3.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$47.33 A$66.0

12.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$104 A$146

1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$104 A$145

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,274 A$1,775

23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,083 A$1,509

10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,039 A$2,842

49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,706 A$2,378

16.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,829 A$9,516

8.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,781 A$6,662

36.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$3,003 A$4,185

50.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.42

-3.58%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Margaret River: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,274 in Margaret River. 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 50% 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 $79.0 in Margaret River. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Melbourne vs $334 in Margaret River – so Margaret River 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 Margaret River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne is pricier by about 8%, 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 $3,624 per month in Melbourne and $3,357 in Margaret River. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Melbourne and $79.0 in Margaret River. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,416 in Melbourne and $2,238 in Margaret River. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Margaret River, where all-in costs run around $2,238, than in Melbourne at $2,416. In Margaret River it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Margaret River – 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 Margaret River. 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.