Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Milwaukee, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Milwaukee, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,569 in Milwaukee, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,684 in Milwaukee, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,799 in Milwaukee, WI.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 13% more expensive than in Milwaukee, WI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Milwaukee, WI 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$20.24 $20.24

-10.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$68.9 $68.9

23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$10.17 $10.17

19.08%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$5.07 $5.07

-18.74%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$2.95 $2.95

8.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$2.12 $2.12

20.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$6.14 $6.14

59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$7.33 $7.33

16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$0.87 $0.87

86.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$3.20 $3.20

-0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$5.08 $5.08

-43.90%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$4.51 $4.51

29.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$10.27 $10.27

7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$13.88 $13.88

-27.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$16.83 $16.83

-8.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$5.31 $5.31

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$1.50 $1.50

111.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$4.55 $4.55

-27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$5.28 $5.28

-7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$2.49 $2.49

24.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$2.50 $2.50

5.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.24 $2.24

11.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$2.36 $2.36

-28.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$10.75 $10.75

326.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$15.51 $15.51

-18.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$2.11 $2.11

165.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$3.63 $3.63

45.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$2.15 $2.15

80.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$71.5 $71.5

96.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$2.87 $2.87

62.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.56 $1.56

-9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$21.02 $21.02

45.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$0.95 $0.95

45.26%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-19.17%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

5.46%

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

$238 A$335

$203 $203

17.13%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$66.9 $66.9

-58.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$72.7 $72.7

-20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$38.60 $38.60

42.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$18.39 $18.39

21.32%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$14.09 $14.09

26.83%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$1,821 $1,821

34.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$24.5K $24.5K

31.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$54.6 $54.6

48.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$44.28 $44.28

17.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$94.5 $94.5

26.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$116 $116

16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,744 $1,744

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$1,167 $1,167

22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$2,753 $2,753

24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,832 $1,832

39.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$2,711 $2,711

170.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$1,715 $1,715

302.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$3,751 $3,751

16.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

6.12

-3.76%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,744 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 16% 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 $69.0 in Milwaukee, WI. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $409, with Melbourne 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 Milwaukee, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Milwaukee, WI differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,569 including rent). Milwaukee, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% 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 $1,744 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $1,821 in Milwaukee, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Milwaukee, WI 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 Milwaukee, WI 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 Milwaukee, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.