Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Missoula, MT Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Missoula, MT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Melbourne versus $2,427 in Missoula, MT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,689 in Melbourne versus $3,881 in Missoula, MT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,896 in Melbourne versus $5,334 in Missoula, MT.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 2% more expensive than Missoula, MT, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 A$26.94

$18.30 $18.30

5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 A$110

$74.0 $74.0

6.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 A$13.41

$9.38 $9.38

2.13%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.09

$4.28 $4.28

-15.19%

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

$2.51 A$3.52

$2.13 $2.13

17.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.34

$1.85 $1.85

29.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 A$9.96

$6.07 $6.07

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 A$10.12

$6.15 $6.15

17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 A$2.11

$1.01 $1.01

49.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.66

$2.93 $2.93

-10.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.28

$5.00 $5.00

-53.20%

Eggs

$4.67 A$6.54

$4.49 $4.49

4.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 A$12.40

$16.64 $16.64

-46.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 A$13.08

$10.90 $10.90

-14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 A$20.73

$16.47 $16.47

-10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$4.68 $4.68

-29.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$1.60 $1.60

79.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.12

$5.21 $5.21

-43.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 A$5.67

$5.43 $5.43

-25.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$2.20 $2.20

21.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.26

$2.58 $2.58

-9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.11

$1.94 $1.94

14.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.28

$2.26 $2.26

-27.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.09 A$46.32

$10.84 $10.84

205.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 A$19.99

$24.54 $24.54

-41.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.54

$1.78 $1.78

162.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.40

$2.66 $2.66

98.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 A$4.91

$2.05 $2.05

71.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$169

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.91

$4.93 $4.93

-29.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.93

$1.77 $1.77

-22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 A$38.55

$40.42 $40.42

-31.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.64

$0.83 $0.83

40.96%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$26.2K $26.2K

12.16%

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

$23.7K A$33.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-10.56%

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

$153 A$214

$130 $130

17.83%

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

$21.03 A$29.44

$59.9 $59.9

-64.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 A$70.3

$72.5 $72.5

-30.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 A$70.0

$63.7 $63.7

-21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$22.74

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 A$22.60

$11.94 $11.94

35.18%

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

$1,768 A$2,476

$1,407 $1,407

25.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.8K

$13.8K $13.8K

38.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 A$95.8

$53.1 $53.1

28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 A$73.9

$46.61 $46.61

13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$150

$89.5 $89.5

19.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$144 $144

-27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 A$2,184

$1,567 $1,567

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 A$1,699

$1,173 $1,173

3.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 A$4,213

$2,966 $2,966

1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 A$2,778

$2,646 $2,646

-25.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,460 A$10.4K

$4,039 $4,039

84.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,569 A$9,197

$3,700 $3,700

77.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,305 A$6,027

$3,566 $3,566

20.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.64

-6.78%

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

Last update for Melbourne: April 20, 2026

Last update for Missoula, MT: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,560 in Melbourne and $1,567 in Missoula, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 21% 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: $78 in Melbourne vs $74 in Missoula, MT. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $422, 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 Missoula, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Missoula, MT differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $2,427 including rent). Missoula, MT is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 21% 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: $1,560 in Melbourne versus $1,567 in Missoula, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Melbourne versus $2,427 in Missoula, MT – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Missoula, MT 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 Missoula, MT 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 Missoula, MT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.