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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,435 in Melbourne versus $2,260 in Mount Isa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Melbourne versus $3,316 in Mount Isa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Melbourne versus $4,372 in Mount Isa.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 8% more expensive than in Mount Isa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 83% above, Mount Isa 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.99

$16.09 A$23.11

21.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$112

$77.3 A$111

0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.13

$9.66 A$13.88

1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.30

$3.49 A$5.02

5.73%

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

$2.54 A$3.65

$2.49 A$3.57

2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.37

$2.19 A$3.15

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.58

$6.41 A$9.21

14.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.20

$6.92 A$9.94

2.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.70

$2.35 A$3.38

9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.36

$2.01 A$2.89

16.42%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.79

$3.16 A$4.54

49.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.99

$8.59 A$12.34

5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$13.10

$8.35 A$11.99

9.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.90

$13.43 A$19.30

8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.69

$3.17 A$4.55

3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.17

$2.96 A$4.24

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.79

$4.17 A$5.99

-3.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.95

$2.42 A$3.47

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.37

$2.08 A$2.99

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.04

$2.17 A$3.12

-2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.38

$1.57 A$2.25

5.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.56

$30.37 A$43.62

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.71

$13.28 A$19.08

3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.77

$4.50 A$6.46

4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.23

$5.45 A$7.82

-7.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.10

$2.66 A$3.83

33.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$174

$65.7 A$94.4

84.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.20

$3.66 A$5.25

-1.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.92

$1.59 A$2.28

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.76

$33.83 A$48.60

-20.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

$1.13 A$1.62

4.42%

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

$29.1K A$41.8K

$28.8K A$41.3K

1.24%

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

$23.0K A$33.0K

$22.6K A$32.4K

1.91%

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

$151 A$217

$183 A$263

-17.71%

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

$21.41 A$30.75

$27.43 A$39.40

-21.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.8

$42.21 A$60.6

21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$71.5

$49.08 A$70.5

1.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$23.05

$15.88 A$22.80

1.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.49

$13.14 A$18.88

24.51%

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

$1,733 A$2,489

$1,627 A$2,337

6.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.2K

$12.1K A$17.3K

57.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$99.6

$67.1 A$96.4

3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$77.5

$50.6 A$72.6

6.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$99.3 A$143

7.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$109 A$156

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,214

$1,281 A$1,840

20.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,714

$1,085 A$1,558

9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,304

$2,030 A$2,915

47.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,869

$1,678 A$2,410

19.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.4K

$5,727 A$8,226

26.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,106

$4,573 A$6,568

38.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,254

$4,381 A$6,292

-0.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mount Isa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,541 in Melbourne and $1,281 in Mount Isa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mount Isa pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Mount Isa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $331 per month, with Mount Isa 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 Mount Isa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Mount Isa differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,435 vs $2,260 including rent). Mount Isa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Mount Isa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,281 in Mount Isa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,733 in Melbourne versus $1,627 in Mount Isa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,260 in Mount Isa versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Isa but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Isa 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 Isa 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 Isa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.