Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Nowra NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Nowra NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,435 in Melbourne versus $2,193 in Nowra NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Melbourne versus $3,302 in Nowra NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Melbourne versus $4,411 in Nowra NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 11% more expensive than in Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 83% above, Nowra NSW 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 A$27.74

$16.46 A$23.43

18.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 A$111

$95.1 A$135

-18.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 A$14.01

$8.42 A$11.99

16.86%

Cappuccino

$3.69 A$5.25

$3.34 A$4.76

10.48%

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

$2.54 A$3.62

$2.65 A$3.77

-4.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.34

$2.11 A$3.00

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.48

$6.39 A$9.10

15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 A$10.11

$6.47 A$9.21

9.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.13

$1.36 A$1.94

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.67

$2.33 A$3.31

10.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.33

$2.11 A$3.01

10.90%

Eggs

$4.73 A$6.73

$3.84 A$5.47

23.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 A$12.88

$9.09 A$12.94

-0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 A$12.98

$7.86 A$11.19

16.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.71

$14.37 A$20.46

1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.65

$3.16 A$4.50

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.99

$2.57 A$3.66

9.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.13

$2.66 A$3.78

9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 A$5.74

$3.77 A$5.37

6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.92

$2.60 A$3.71

5.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.34

$2.19 A$3.12

6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$3.01

$2.07 A$2.95

2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 A$2.36

$1.08 A$1.54

53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.11 A$47.13

$29.74 A$42.33

11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 A$19.53

$14.36 A$20.44

-4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 A$6.70

$4.10 A$5.84

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 A$7.16

$3.07 A$4.38

63.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$5.06

$2.67 A$3.80

32.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$66.2 A$94.2

83.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.15

$2.30 A$3.28

57.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.90

$1.81 A$2.57

-25.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 A$38.41

$37.70 A$53.7

-28.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.68

$1.16 A$1.65

1.72%

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

$29.1K A$41.4K

$28.8K A$41.0K

1.09%

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

$23.0K A$32.7K

$21.2K A$30.2K

8.22%

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

$151 A$215

$187 A$266

-19.32%

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

$21.41 A$30.47

$29.69 A$42.26

-27.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.1

$56.6 A$80.5

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.75 A$70.8

$47.94 A$68.2

3.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 A$22.84

$15.55 A$22.13

3.22%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$23.28

$12.62 A$17.96

29.64%

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

$1,733 A$2,466

$909 A$1,293

90.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$27.0K

$12.2K A$17.4K

54.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$98.7

$77.4 A$110

-10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 A$76.8

$44.81 A$63.8

20.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$152

$92.1 A$131

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$148

$110 A$157

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 A$2,194

$1,258 A$1,791

22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 A$1,698

$1,051 A$1,496

13.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 A$4,265

$2,003 A$2,851

49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,843

$1,689 A$2,404

18.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.3K

$6,004 A$8,546

20.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$9,023

$5,476 A$7,795

15.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,197

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.75

-8.30%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,541 in Melbourne and $1,258 in Nowra NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Melbourne vs $95.0 in Nowra NSW. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $320, with Nowra NSW 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 Nowra NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Nowra NSW differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,435 vs $2,193 including rent). Nowra NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,653 in Melbourne and $3,289 in Nowra NSW 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: $1,541 in Melbourne versus $1,258 in Nowra NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,733 in Melbourne versus $909 in Nowra NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,193 in Nowra NSW versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nowra NSW but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Nowra NSW 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 Nowra NSW 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 Nowra NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.