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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,474 in Milwaukee, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,607 in Milwaukee, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,741 in Milwaukee, WI.

Living in Melbourne costs roughly 2% less than in Milwaukee, WI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Milwaukee, WI 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.64

$18.42 $18.42

5.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$65.6 $65.6

18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.07

$9.97 $9.97

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.32

$5.13 $5.13

-27.29%

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

$2.62 A$3.74

$3.14 $3.14

-16.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.26

$2.22 $2.22

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.50

$4.90 $4.90

50.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.91

$6.92 $6.92

0.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$0.86 $0.86

74.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.68

$3.34 $3.34

-22.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.34

$4.54 $4.54

-48.46%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.93

$4.23 $4.23

14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.46

$10.18 $10.18

-14.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.22

$12.62 $12.62

-26.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.82

$15.49 $15.49

-5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.74

$5.75 $5.75

-42.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.01

$1.12 $1.12

150.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.29

$4.51 $4.51

-33.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.68

$4.83 $4.83

-17.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.81

$2.19 $2.19

21.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.19

$2.13 $2.13

4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.13

$1.91 $1.91

14.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.34

$2.73 $2.73

-39.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.62

$10.59 $10.59

201.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.88

$15.56 $15.56

-10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.67

$1.80 $1.80

159.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.20

$3.58 $3.58

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.00

$1.95 $1.95

79.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$172

$71.8 $71.8

67.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.09

$2.76 $2.76

28.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.64 $1.64

-14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.26

$21.25 $21.25

29.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$0.86 $0.86

33.72%

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

$29.2K A$41.7K

$29.7K $29.7K

-1.61%

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

$23.0K A$32.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-11.93%

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

$154 A$220

$182 $182

-15.23%

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

$20.93 A$29.89

$48.31 $48.31

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.5

$63.4 $63.4

-18.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$69.8

$52.5 $52.5

-6.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.19

$18.19 $18.19

-10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.81

$14.58 $14.58

9.53%

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

$1,765 A$2,520

$1,811 $1,811

-2.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.9K

$23.9K $23.9K

-18.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$95.7

$42.22 $42.22

58.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$77.8

$46.16 $46.16

17.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$80.4 $80.4

31.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$103 $103

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,249

$1,576 $1,576

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,722

$1,134 $1,134

6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,342

$2,830 $2,830

7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,887

$1,829 $1,829

10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$2,775 $2,775

154.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,168

$1,686 $1,686

280.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,280

$3,631 $3,631

21.12%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,576 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $66.0 in Milwaukee, WI. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $393, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $2,474 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,576 in Milwaukee, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $1,811 in Milwaukee, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Milwaukee, WI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Melbourne 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 Melbourne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.