Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Orange, NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Orange, NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,770 in Orange, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $2,708 in Orange, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $3,647 in Orange, NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 37% more expensive than in Orange, NSW, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Orange, NSW 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$10.03 A$14.37

93.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$72.5 A$104

6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$9.48 A$13.59

3.90%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.34 A$4.78

11.68%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.60 A$3.73

0.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.29 A$3.28

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.34 A$9.08

16.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.24 A$10.37

-4.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.36 A$1.95

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.59 A$3.70

-0.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.83 A$2.62

27.87%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$3.61 A$5.17

34.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.00 A$11.46

9.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.03 A$11.50

15.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$12.99 A$18.61

12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.11 A$4.46

6.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.54 A$3.64

10.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.09 A$4.42

-2.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.54 A$5.06

12.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$1.60 A$2.29

66.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.10 A$3.01

6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.90 A$2.72

15.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.28 A$1.83

28.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$30.39 A$43.54

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$10.88 A$15.58

27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$2.49 A$3.56

87.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.28 A$7.56

-4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.44 A$3.50

43.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$65.2 A$93.5

84.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$2.31 A$3.31

54.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.73 A$2.48

-19.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$40.05 A$57.4

-31.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.19 A$1.71

-3.36%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$27.7K A$39.6K

5.44%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$22.7K A$32.5K

1.28%

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

$154 A$220

$153 A$219

0.60%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$16.39 A$23.48

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$53.3 A$76.3

-3.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$48.27 A$69.2

1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$12.96 A$18.57

25.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$13.10 A$18.77

21.91%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,780 A$2,550

-0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$13.4K A$19.1K

46.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$52.1 A$74.7

28.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$56.0 A$80.3

-2.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$99.3 A$142

6.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$116 A$166

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$884 A$1,266

78.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$726 A$1,040

66.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$1,494 A$2,141

103.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,273 A$1,824

58.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$6,521 A$9,342

8.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,477 A$7,847

17.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

$4,746 A$6,799

-7.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.29

-1.59%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Orange, NSW: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $884 in Orange, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Orange, NSW pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $72.0 in Orange, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $302 per month, with Orange, NSW 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 Orange, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Orange, NSW differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $1,770 including rent). Orange, NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Orange, NSW. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $884 in Orange, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $1,780 in Orange, NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,770 in Orange, NSW versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Orange, NSW but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Orange, 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 Orange, 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 Orange, NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.