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: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,585 in Nowra NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,770 in Nowra NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,954 in Nowra NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 12% more expensive than in Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Nowra NSW 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.42

$19.84 A$27.84

-8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$119

$94.2 A$132

-9.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$16.99

$10.54 A$14.79

14.90%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.78

$4.21 A$5.91

-2.14%

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

$3.21 A$4.51

$3.11 A$4.36

3.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.58

$2.75 A$3.86

-7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.70

$8.41 A$11.80

16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.00

$9.86 A$13.83

-13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.28

$1.31 A$1.83

23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.47

$3.03 A$4.25

5.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.71 A$3.81

5.17%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.17

$5.57 A$7.82

4.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.43

$12.15 A$17.05

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.07

$10.73 A$15.05

-6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.67

$16.42 A$23.03

-5.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.17

$4.18 A$5.86

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.45

$3.31 A$4.65

-4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.60

$3.55 A$4.99

-7.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.84

$5.30 A$7.43

-7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.36

$3.27 A$4.58

-4.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.70

$2.77 A$3.88

-4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.50

$2.81 A$3.94

-11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.36

$1.50 A$2.10

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.4

$46.34 A$65.0

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.76

$14.80 A$20.77

-14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.88

$4.84 A$6.79

15.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.43

$5.69 A$7.98

-7.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.46

$3.06 A$4.29

27.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$197

$86.4 A$121

62.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.52

$4.22 A$5.92

10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.98

$1.62 A$2.27

-12.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.00

$44.58 A$62.5

-31.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.94

$1.28 A$1.79

7.81%

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

$28.9K A$40.6K

$27.1K A$38.0K

6.86%

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

$27.2K A$38.2K

$30.6K A$43.0K

-11.20%

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

$238 A$334

$187 A$263

27.00%

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

$27.90 A$39.15

$28.34 A$39.76

-1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$80.9

$56.7 A$79.5

1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.2

$50.9 A$71.4

8.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.30

$16.65 A$23.36

33.99%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.07

$16.57 A$23.24

7.85%

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

$2,450 A$3,437

$2,385 A$3,346

2.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.0K

$21.2K A$29.7K

51.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$114

$78.0 A$109

4.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$72.7

$56.8 A$79.7

-8.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$123 A$172

-2.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$189

$137 A$192

-1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,477

$1,371 A$1,923

28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,006

$1,409 A$1,977

1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,828

$2,496 A$3,502

37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,594

$1,896 A$2,661

35.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$5,491 A$7,703

33.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,679

$5,615 A$7,877

22.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,106

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.95

-1.01%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,371 in Nowra NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $94.0 in Nowra NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $407 per month, with Melbourne 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 Nowra NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Nowra NSW differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,585 including rent). Nowra NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,358 in Melbourne and $3,877 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: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,371 in Nowra NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $2,385 in Nowra NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Nowra NSW 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 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 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.