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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,390 in Milwaukee, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,521 in Milwaukee, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,653 in Milwaukee, WI.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 1% more expensive than Milwaukee, WI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Milwaukee, WI 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.67

$18.40 $18.40

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$64.2 $64.2

22.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.60

$9.89 $9.89

-1.92%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.13

$5.20 $5.20

-29.62%

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

$2.60 A$3.65

$3.15 $3.15

-17.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.22 $2.22

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.05

$4.89 $4.89

46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.79

$6.97 $6.97

0.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$0.85 $0.85

70.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.73

$3.41 $3.41

-21.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$4.61 $4.61

-49.24%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.73

$4.33 $4.33

10.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.28

$10.16 $10.16

-13.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.22

$12.70 $12.70

-25.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.21

$15.29 $15.29

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.67

$5.78 $5.78

-42.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.89

$1.13 $1.13

145.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.20

$4.48 $4.48

-33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.53

$4.97 $4.97

-20.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.12 $2.12

26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.30

$2.11 $2.11

11.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$1.97 $1.97

8.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$2.62 $2.62

-37.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.46

$10.35 $10.35

213.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.76

$15.49 $15.49

-8.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.51

$1.83 $1.83

153.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.06

$3.43 $3.43

46.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.89

$2.01 $2.01

73.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$72.1 $72.1

66.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.90

$2.79 $2.79

25.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.64 $1.64

-17.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.75

$21.28 $21.28

26.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.67

$0.86 $0.86

38.37%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$30.4K $30.4K

-3.13%

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

$23.6K A$33.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-9.75%

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

$150 A$210

$187 $187

-19.73%

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

$21.16 A$29.65

$47.98 $47.98

-55.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.5

$63.3 $63.3

-20.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.9

$52.5 $52.5

-6.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.94

$18.66 $18.66

-12.27%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$23.03

$14.81 $14.81

10.94%

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

$1,764 A$2,471

$1,793 $1,793

-1.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$24.4K $24.4K

-21.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.7

$43.01 $43.01

58.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.7

$45.81 $45.81

16.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$149

$79.3 $79.3

34.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$104 $104

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,203

$1,575 $1,575

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,674

$1,129 $1,129

5.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,270

$2,908 $2,908

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,788

$1,810 $1,810

9.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.4K

$2,726 $2,726

170.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,146

$1,667 $1,667

291.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,323

$3,776 $3,776

19.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.55

-5.50%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,575 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 19% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $64.0 in Milwaukee, WI. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $394, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,390 including rent). Milwaukee, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 19% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,575 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,793 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 11% 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 1% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.