Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mount Gambier Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mount Gambier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,320 in Mount Gambier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,824 in Mount Gambier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $5,327 in Mount Gambier.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 25% more expensive than in Mount Gambier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Mount Gambier 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$32.71 A$46.13

-44.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$123 A$173

-30.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$10.86 A$15.32

11.51%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$4.69 A$6.61

-12.15%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$3.10 A$4.38

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$2.56 A$3.61

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$4.95 A$6.98

97.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$6.46 A$9.11

32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$2.23 A$3.15

-27.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$3.51 A$4.96

-9.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$2.24 A$3.17

27.23%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$6.06 A$8.55

-3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$9.23 A$13.02

19.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$8.87 A$12.51

13.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$10.12 A$14.28

52.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$3.30 A$4.65

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$2.50 A$3.53

26.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$3.26 A$4.60

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$5.52 A$7.79

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$3.20 A$4.51

-2.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$4.08 A$5.75

-35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.66 A$3.76

-6.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$1.57 A$2.21

7.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$32.39 A$45.68

41.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$24.18 A$34.10

-47.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$5.00 A$7.05

12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$5.61 A$7.92

-5.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$3.03 A$4.28

28.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$81.3 A$115

72.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$3.63 A$5.11

28.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.60 A$2.26

-11.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$42.35 A$59.7

-27.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$1.50 A$2.12

-8.00%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$28.0K A$39.4K

3.46%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$30.9K A$43.5K

-11.80%

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

$238 A$335

$304 A$428

-21.71%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$46.87 A$66.1

-40.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$63.1 A$89.0

-8.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$55.7 A$78.5

-1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$17.02 A$24.00

31.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$11.37 A$16.04

57.17%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$2,069 A$2,918

18.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$17.8K A$25.0K

80.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$89.6 A$126

-9.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$49.38 A$69.6

4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$123 A$174

-2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$113 A$159

19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$782 A$1,103

125.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$704 A$993

103.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$1,257 A$1,773

173.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,705 A$2,405

50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$5,934 A$8,369

23.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$5,227 A$7,372

32.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$2,619 A$3,693

66.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

6.63

-11.16%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mount Gambier: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $782 in Mount Gambier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 66% 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 $123 in Mount Gambier. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $397, with Mount Gambier 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 Mount Gambier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Mount Gambier differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,320 including rent). Mount Gambier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% 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 $782 in Mount Gambier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $2,069 in Mount Gambier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,320 in Mount Gambier versus $2,905 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Gambier but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Gambier the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Mount Gambier 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 Mount Gambier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.