Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and North Shore

For one person, living is cheaper in North Shore: $2,119 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in North Shore
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North Shore Living Index

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Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

North Shore

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in North Shore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Melbourne and in North Shore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $2,119 in North Shore.

Melbourne $2,821
North Shore $2,119

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $2,933 in North Shore.

Melbourne $4,235
North Shore $2,933

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $3,746 in North Shore.

Melbourne $5,650
North Shore $3,746

Living in Melbourne is roughly 33% more expensive than in North Shore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 109% above, North Shore 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 A$25.08

$14.08 NZ$24.90

23.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$122

$73.5 NZ$130

15.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.92

$8.46 NZ$14.96

47.28%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.91

$3.27 NZ$5.78

25.69%

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

$3.06 A$4.40

$1.93 NZ$3.42

58.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.62

$1.78 NZ$3.15

41.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 A$14.10

$6.53 NZ$11.55

50.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 A$12.33

$5.61 NZ$9.92

52.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.14

$1.61 NZ$2.85

-8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 A$4.23

$1.30 NZ$2.29

126.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$1.89 NZ$3.33

40.74%

Eggs

$5.54 A$7.97

$5.68 NZ$10.05

-2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 A$15.13

$7.74 NZ$13.69

35.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 A$13.89

$10.02 NZ$17.72

-3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 A$21.91

$11.56 NZ$20.45

31.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 A$5.75

$2.62 NZ$4.63

52.29%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.34

$2.05 NZ$3.63

47.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.46

$3.14 NZ$5.56

-1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.93

$5.84 NZ$10.33

-17.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.36

$2.08 NZ$3.67

45.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.52

$1.51 NZ$2.67

61.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.54

$2.39 NZ$4.22

2.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

$0.95 NZ$1.68

71.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.4

$25.48 NZ$45.06

72.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 A$18.28

$10.33 NZ$18.26

22.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.97

$2.74 NZ$4.84

102.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.52

$3.34 NZ$5.90

56.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 A$5.38

$2.21 NZ$3.90

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$198

$59.5 NZ$105

131.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 A$6.50

$2.22 NZ$3.93

103.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.96

$1.92 NZ$3.39

-29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 A$43.81

$32.25 NZ$57.0

-5.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.12

$1.71 NZ$3.02

-14.04%

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

$29.0K A$41.7K

$25.4K NZ$44.9K

14.29%

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

$26.5K A$38.1K

$22.4K NZ$39.5K

18.42%

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

$234 A$336

$181 NZ$321

28.88%

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

$27.93 A$40.19

$26.42 NZ$46.73

5.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$80.2

$50.6 NZ$89.5

10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 A$71.1

$27.16 NZ$48.03

81.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 A$21.72

$13.05 NZ$23.07

15.63%

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

$2,371 A$3,412

$672 NZ$1,188

252.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.5K

$14.4K NZ$25.5K

109.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 A$115

$68.9 NZ$122

16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 A$73.0

$37.87 NZ$67.0

33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$174

$93.1 NZ$165

29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$188

$103 NZ$182

26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,531

$1,302 NZ$2,303

35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,000

$1,050 NZ$1,856

32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 A$5,027

$2,278 NZ$4,029

53.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,588

$1,339 NZ$2,369

86.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$9,967

$7,194 NZ$12.7K

-3.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,274

$6,028 NZ$10.7K

6.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 A$6,307

$2,774 NZ$4,905

58.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

6.63

-11.01%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for North Shore: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

North Shore

$1K 49.5% 24.5% $340

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$384 13.6%

North Shore

$306 14.4% 20.4% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.3%

North Shore

$258 12.2% 18.6% $59

Eating Out

Melbourne

$315 11.2%

North Shore

$236 11.1% 25% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

North Shore

$136 6.4% 20.6% $35

Getting Around

Melbourne

$164 5.8%

North Shore

$80 3.8% 51.1% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$80 2.8%

North Shore

$53 2.5% 33.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in Melbourne and $1,302 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 58% 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 $73.0 in North Shore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $306 per month, with North Shore cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇳🇿 North Shore

🕒 Local time

10:15 10:15 AM

12:15 12:15 PM

2 h ahead of Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

258,697

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Melbourne North Shore 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
North Shore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 North Shore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and North Shore differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($2,821 vs $2,119 including rent). North Shore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $1,759 in Melbourne versus $1,302 in North Shore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,371 in Melbourne versus $672 in North Shore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,119 in North Shore versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in North Shore but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes North Shore 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 North Shore 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 North Shore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.