Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Modesto, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Modesto, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,650 in Modesto, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $4,106 in Modesto, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $5,561 in Modesto, CA.

Living in Melbourne costs roughly 9% less than in Modesto, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Modesto, CA 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$15.10 $15.10

30.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$80.4 $80.4

-2.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$8.84 $8.84

9.73%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$5.66 $5.66

-35.34%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.68 $2.68

-2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.66 $1.66

40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$5.02 $5.02

42.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.20 $7.20

-2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.12 $1.12

29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$3.60 $3.60

-26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$3.15 $3.15

-25.71%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.99 $4.99

-3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$12.86 $12.86

-31.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$14.62 $14.62

-35.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$19.50 $19.50

-26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$6.27 $6.27

-46.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.52 $2.52

9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$4.97 $4.97

-39.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$6.52 $6.52

-39.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$3.57 $3.57

-24.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$4.26 $4.26

-44.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$3.03 $3.03

-29.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$2.81 $2.81

-41.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$10.12 $10.12

220.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$15.26 $15.26

-7.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$1.91 $1.91

142.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$3.42 $3.42

47.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.03 $2.03

71.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$40.22 $40.22

198.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.56 $3.56

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$2.08 $2.08

-35.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$30.40 $30.40

-11.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.25 $1.25

-4.80%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

7.62%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

-11.53%

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

$150 A$209

$287 $287

-47.84%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$49.26 $49.26

-57.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$63.0 $63.0

-20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$41.92 $41.92

17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$14.95 $14.95

9.50%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$11.07 $11.07

48.42%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,952 $1,952

-9.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

-25.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$47.56 $47.56

43.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$39.84 $39.84

33.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$89.1 $89.1

19.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$129 $129

-19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,429 $1,429

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,261 $1,261

-5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,426 $2,426

25.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$2,401 $2,401

-17.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$3,192 $3,192

131.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$3,184 $3,184

105.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,035 $4,035

11.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.51

-4.92%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Modesto, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,429 in Modesto, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $80.0 in Modesto, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $461 per month, with Melbourne cheaper across the board.

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 Modesto, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Modesto, CA differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,650 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 12% 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 $1,429 in Modesto, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,952 in Modesto, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Modesto, CA. 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 Modesto, CA 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 10% less than in Modesto, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.