Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mildura Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mildura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,352 in Mildura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,688 in Mildura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $5,024 in Mildura.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 24% more expensive than in Mildura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Mildura 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.46

$15.82 A$22.23

14.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$119

$107 A$151

-21.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.01

$11.38 A$16.00

6.41%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.79

$3.62 A$5.08

13.81%

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

$3.21 A$4.51

$2.67 A$3.75

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.59

$2.81 A$3.94

-9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.72

$6.46 A$9.07

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.02

$6.66 A$9.36

28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.28

$2.11 A$2.96

-23.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.48

$2.84 A$3.99

12.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.00

$2.27 A$3.19

25.55%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.19

$8.38 A$11.77

-30.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.45

$9.79 A$13.76

12.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.09

$9.43 A$13.25

6.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.70

$14.96 A$21.01

3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.18

$3.80 A$5.35

15.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.45

$3.09 A$4.34

2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.61

$3.51 A$4.93

-6.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.85

$4.69 A$6.59

4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.37

$2.50 A$3.51

24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.70

$2.51 A$3.53

5.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.50

$2.53 A$3.55

-1.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.37

$1.63 A$2.29

3.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.5

$42.17 A$59.2

8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.79

$14.16 A$19.90

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.89

$5.01 A$7.04

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.44

$5.41 A$7.60

-2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.47

$3.12 A$4.39

24.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$197

$92.3 A$130

52.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.53

$3.82 A$5.37

21.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.98

$1.69 A$2.37

-16.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.06

$41.12 A$57.8

-25.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.94

$1.31 A$1.84

5.34%

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

$28.9K A$40.7K

$27.4K A$38.5K

5.53%

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

$27.2K A$38.2K

$30.4K A$42.7K

-10.42%

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

$238 A$334

$200 A$281

18.99%

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

$27.90 A$39.21

$28.74 A$40.38

-2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.0

$56.8 A$79.8

1.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.3

$56.6 A$79.5

-2.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.35

$18.60 A$26.13

19.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.10

$16.02 A$22.51

11.55%

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

$2,450 A$3,442

$2,160 A$3,035

13.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.1K

$19.8K A$27.8K

61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$114

$77.8 A$109

4.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$72.8

$54.5 A$76.6

-4.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$111 A$157

7.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$127 A$179

5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,481

$1,442 A$2,025

22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,009

$1,084 A$1,524

31.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,835

$2,277 A$3,199

51.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,600

$1,835 A$2,578

39.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$5,842 A$8,208

25.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,694

$5,173 A$7,268

33.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,115

$3,632 A$5,102

19.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.87

0.34%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mildura: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,442 in Mildura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 20% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $107 in Mildura. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $395, with Mildura cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mildura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Mildura differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,352 including rent). Mildura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,442 in Mildura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $2,160 in Mildura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mildura is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Mildura 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 Mildura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.