Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Perth Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Perth

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $3,083 in Perth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $4,303 in Perth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $5,522 in Perth.

Living in Melbourne costs roughly 6% less than in Perth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Perth 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$24.91

$21.57 A$29.94

-16.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$117

$84.9 A$118

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.01

$11.01 A$15.29

11.35%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.86

$4.65 A$6.46

-9.25%

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

$3.16 A$4.38

$2.92 A$4.06

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.70

$2.26 A$3.14

17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.86

$8.71 A$12.09

14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.25

$8.38 A$11.62

5.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.29

$1.71 A$2.38

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.73

$3.18 A$4.42

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.87

$2.10 A$2.92

32.86%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.89

$5.38 A$7.47

5.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.69

$9.26 A$12.86

22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.42

$9.39 A$13.03

2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$21.90

$14.57 A$20.23

8.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.82

$4.76 A$6.60

-11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.19

$3.35 A$4.65

-9.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.54

$3.47 A$4.81

-5.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.68

$5.24 A$7.27

-8.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.52

$2.98 A$4.13

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.61

$1.99 A$2.76

30.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.49

$2.29 A$3.18

9.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.28

$1.32 A$1.84

24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.0

$42.45 A$58.9

8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.74

$12.95 A$17.98

-6.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.60

$4.56 A$6.32

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.15

$3.50 A$4.86

47.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.31

$2.48 A$3.45

54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$201

$99.6 A$138

45.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$5.98

$3.82 A$5.30

12.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.04

$1.43 A$1.99

2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.05

$40.92 A$56.8

-24.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$1.34 A$1.86

8.96%

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

$29.5K A$41.0K

$27.9K A$38.7K

5.92%

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

$27.7K A$38.5K

$31.1K A$43.2K

-10.94%

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

$242 A$336

$207 A$287

17.15%

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

$28.20 A$39.14

$33.06 A$45.88

-14.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.4

$65.1 A$90.3

-12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.0

$57.4 A$79.6

-2.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.13

$21.95 A$30.46

-1.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.83

$17.10 A$23.73

4.62%

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

$2,443 A$3,391

$2,383 A$3,308

2.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$45.8K

$24.2K A$33.5K

36.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$114

$78.3 A$109

4.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.0

$67.5 A$93.7

-25.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$175

$122 A$169

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$192

$159 A$221

-13.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,462

$1,935 A$2,685

-8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,981

$1,645 A$2,283

-13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,863

$2,839 A$3,940

23.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,493

$2,261 A$3,138

11.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

$8,673 A$12.0K

-14.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,324

$5,918 A$8,213

13.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,215

$4,273 A$5,931

4.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.92

-1.18%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Perth: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $1,935 in Perth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $85.0 in Perth. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $375, with Perth 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 Perth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Perth differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,894 vs $3,083 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,774 in Melbourne versus $1,935 in Perth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,443 in Melbourne versus $2,383 in Perth. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Perth pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Melbourne 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 Perth 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 Melbourne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.