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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,222 in Penshurst, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,255 in Penshurst, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,288 in Penshurst, NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Penshurst, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Penshurst, NSW 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$16.16 A$23.15

19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$79.3 A$114

-2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$9.59 A$13.73

2.71%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.33 A$4.77

12.01%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.63 A$3.77

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.17 A$3.11

5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.62 A$9.48

11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.00 A$10.03

-0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.49 A$2.14

0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.42 A$3.47

6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.98 A$2.83

18.18%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.29 A$6.15

13.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.58 A$12.29

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.51 A$12.19

8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$13.65 A$19.56

6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.19 A$4.58

4.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.73 A$3.91

2.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.90 A$4.16

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$4.22 A$6.04

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.50 A$3.58

6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.17 A$3.11

2.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.07 A$2.97

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.58 A$2.26

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$30.40 A$43.55

5.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$14.19 A$20.33

-1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.48 A$6.42

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.28 A$7.57

-4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.55 A$3.65

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$66.0 A$94.5

82.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.69 A$5.28

-3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.57 A$2.25

-10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$33.80 A$48.43

-18.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.14 A$1.63

0.88%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.1K A$41.6K

0.37%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$22.8K A$32.7K

0.62%

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

$154 A$220

$181 A$259

-14.99%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$27.47 A$39.35

-23.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$52.9 A$75.8

-2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$48.15 A$69.0

1.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.92 A$22.81

2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$12.87 A$18.43

24.09%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,620 A$2,321

8.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$11.9K A$17.0K

64.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$67.5 A$96.7

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$49.92 A$71.5

9.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$98.4 A$141

7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$106 A$152

-2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,238 A$1,774

27.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,084 A$1,553

11.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$2,027 A$2,904

50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,665 A$2,385

21.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$5,559 A$7,965

27.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,220 A$7,479

23.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Penshurst, NSW: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,238 in Penshurst, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Penshurst, NSW. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $339, with Penshurst, 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 Penshurst, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Penshurst, NSW differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $2,222 including rent). Penshurst, NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,630 in Melbourne and $3,334 in Penshurst, 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,238 in Penshurst, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $1,620 in Penshurst, NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,222 in Penshurst, NSW versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Penshurst, NSW but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Penshurst, 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 Penshurst, 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 Penshurst, NSW 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.