Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Northam Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Northam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,673 in Northam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,763 in Northam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,853 in Northam.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Northam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Northam 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.49

$21.47 A$29.72

-14.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$120

$87.5 A$121

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.26

$10.62 A$14.70

17.33%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.77

$4.61 A$6.38

-9.54%

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

$3.15 A$4.37

$2.97 A$4.11

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.67

$2.33 A$3.23

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$13.91

$8.59 A$11.89

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.78

$8.72 A$12.07

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.23

$1.75 A$2.42

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.55

$2.64 A$3.66

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.18

$2.04 A$2.83

48.04%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.31

$4.79 A$6.63

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.31

$6.33 A$8.76

74.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.73

$9.62 A$13.32

3.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$21.97

$14.21 A$19.68

11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.11

$2.92 A$4.05

51.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.46

$3.28 A$4.55

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.77

$3.49 A$4.83

-1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.80

$5.44 A$7.52

-9.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.34

$2.97 A$4.11

5.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.68

$2.02 A$2.80

31.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.48

$2.41 A$3.33

4.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.34

$0.75 A$1.03

125.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.0

$43.33 A$60.0

6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.42

$3.50 A$4.85

259.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.49

$4.52 A$6.25

19.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.38

$3.49 A$4.83

52.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.58

$3.16 A$4.38

27.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$196

$84.6 A$117

67.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.51

$3.81 A$5.27

23.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.95

$1.44 A$1.99

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.37

$41.01 A$56.8

-23.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.98

$1.35 A$1.87

5.93%

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

$29.5K A$40.8K

$28.6K A$39.6K

2.94%

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

$27.0K A$37.3K

$30.8K A$42.6K

-12.47%

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

$239 A$331

$207 A$287

15.55%

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

$28.19 A$39.03

$25.47 A$35.26

10.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.4

$63.5 A$87.9

-9.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.4

$58.2 A$80.6

-4.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.46

$18.38 A$25.45

23.61%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.77

$16.97 A$23.49

5.42%

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

$2,456 A$3,400

$2,367 A$3,277

3.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$43.7K

$23.8K A$33.0K

32.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$114

$76.8 A$106

7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.1

$70.0 A$96.9

-25.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$167

$121 A$168

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$189

$159 A$220

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,460

$1,469 A$2,034

20.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,018

$1,279 A$1,770

13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,931

$2,284 A$3,162

55.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,556

$1,861 A$2,576

38.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$6,713 A$9,295

8.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,549

$5,276 A$7,305

30.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,173

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.92

-1.35%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Northam: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,469 in Northam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $87.0 in Northam. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $325, with Northam 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 Northam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Northam differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,673 including rent). Northam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,366 in Melbourne and $4,010 in Northam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,469 in Northam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,367 in Northam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Northam 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 Northam 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 Northam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.