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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,198 in Penshurst, NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,226 in Penshurst, NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,254 in Penshurst, NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 10% more expensive than Penshurst, NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Penshurst, NSW 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.51 A$23.00

19.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.8 A$108

1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.84 A$13.71

-1.42%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.40 A$4.74

7.65%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.57 A$3.59

1.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.12 A$2.96

10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.44 A$8.97

11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.93 A$9.65

0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.50 A$2.08

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.45 A$3.41

8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.97 A$2.75

18.78%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.36 A$6.08

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.47 A$11.81

3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.52 A$11.87

10.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.92 A$19.39

3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.34 A$4.66

-0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.71 A$3.78

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.85 A$3.98

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.02 A$5.60

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.42 A$3.37

10.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.20 A$3.07

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.08 A$2.91

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.58 A$2.20

3.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.09 A$43.32

4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.37 A$20.03

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.69 A$6.53

-1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.33 A$7.42

-5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.52 A$3.52

38.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.1 A$90.8

84.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.60 A$5.01

-2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.55 A$2.17

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.70 A$46.97

-20.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.17 A$1.63

1.71%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.0K A$40.4K

1.59%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.7K A$31.7K

3.78%

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

$150 A$209

$182 A$253

-17.39%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.94 A$38.94

-24.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$52.9 A$73.7

-4.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.21 A$67.2

1.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.57 A$21.70

5.14%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.05 A$18.19

25.90%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,648 A$2,297

6.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.1K A$16.8K

58.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$68.8 A$95.9

-0.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$51.4 A$71.7

3.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$99.7 A$139

6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$109 A$152

-4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,264 A$1,762

24.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,083 A$1,509

10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,981 A$2,760

53.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,701 A$2,371

16.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,605 A$9,204

11.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,854 A$8,158

11.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Penshurst, NSW: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,264 in Penshurst, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Penshurst, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $341 per month, with Penshurst, 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 Penshurst, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Penshurst, NSW differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,198 including rent). Penshurst, NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,624 in Melbourne and $3,297 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,264 in Penshurst, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,648 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 $2,198 in Penshurst, NSW versus $2,416 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 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.