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: $2,418 in Melbourne versus $2,272 in Nowra NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,660 in Melbourne versus $3,358 in Nowra NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,902 in Melbourne versus $4,443 in Nowra NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 6% more expensive than Nowra NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Nowra NSW 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.16 A$27.07

$16.55 A$23.38

15.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$112

$93.9 A$133

-15.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 A$14.19

$8.26 A$11.66

21.67%

Cappuccino

$3.56 A$5.03

$3.36 A$4.75

5.95%

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

$2.59 A$3.66

$2.54 A$3.58

1.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.37

$2.11 A$2.99

13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 A$10.65

$6.69 A$9.46

12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 A$10.16

$6.36 A$8.98

13.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.15

$1.36 A$1.93

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.58

$2.39 A$3.38

5.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 A$3.19

$2.17 A$3.07

4.15%

Eggs

$4.64 A$6.56

$3.89 A$5.49

19.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 A$12.77

$9.17 A$12.95

-1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 A$13.44

$7.87 A$11.12

20.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 A$20.82

$14.17 A$20.01

3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 A$4.72

$3.24 A$4.58

3.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.01

$2.68 A$3.79

5.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.09

$2.71 A$3.83

6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.59

$3.71 A$5.24

6.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.91

$2.74 A$3.87

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.32

$2.12 A$3.00

10.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 A$2.99

$2.08 A$2.95

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.24

$1.08 A$1.52

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.41 A$45.79

$29.74 A$42.02

8.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.66

$14.64 A$20.69

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.49 A$6.34

$4.00 A$5.65

12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.36

$3.19 A$4.51

63.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 A$5.19

$2.55 A$3.61

43.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$170

$64.7 A$91.4

86.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.97

$2.21 A$3.13

59.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 A$1.96

$1.73 A$2.45

-19.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.24 A$38.49

$37.58 A$53.1

-27.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.67

$1.17 A$1.65

0.85%

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

$29.2K A$41.2K

$28.8K A$40.7K

1.39%

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

$23.5K A$33.2K

$21.5K A$30.4K

9.07%

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

$152 A$215

$192 A$271

-20.92%

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

$20.95 A$29.60

$28.91 A$40.85

-27.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$72.5

$56.3 A$79.5

-8.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.31 A$68.3

$48.51 A$68.5

-0.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.93 A$22.51

$15.60 A$22.04

2.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 A$22.60

$12.50 A$17.66

27.92%

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

$1,729 A$2,443

$920 A$1,300

87.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$27.5K

$12.0K A$17.0K

61.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 A$95.6

$77.1 A$109

-12.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 A$74.5

$45.17 A$63.8

16.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$147

$91.2 A$129

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$146

$110 A$156

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 A$2,162

$1,260 A$1,781

21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 A$1,738

$1,051 A$1,486

16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,959 A$4,181

$2,017 A$2,850

46.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 A$2,795

$1,657 A$2,341

19.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,928 A$9,789

$6,101 A$8,620

13.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,056 A$8,556

$5,780 A$8,166

4.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,479 A$6,329

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Nowra NSW: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,530 in Melbourne and $1,260 in Nowra NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $94.0 in Nowra NSW. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $322, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($2,418 vs $2,272 including rent). Nowra NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,627 in Melbourne and $3,408 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: $1,530 in Melbourne versus $1,260 in Nowra NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,729 in Melbourne versus $920 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 $2,272 in Nowra NSW versus $2,418 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 6% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.