Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Port Hedland Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Port Hedland

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,269 in Port Hedland.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,299 in Port Hedland.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,330 in Port Hedland.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.09 A$22.42

22.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$79.5 A$111

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.62 A$13.40

0.83%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.33 A$4.64

9.91%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.54 A$3.55

2.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.09 A$2.92

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.39 A$8.91

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.02 A$9.78

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.44 A$2.01

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.36 A$3.29

12.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.00 A$2.79

17.00%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.26 A$5.94

12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.59 A$11.96

2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.53 A$11.89

10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.88 A$19.34

3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.21 A$4.47

3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.75 A$3.83

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.91 A$4.05

3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.23 A$5.89

-6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.53 A$3.53

5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.10 A$2.93

12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.18 A$3.03

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.52 A$2.12

7.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.49 A$43.88

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$13.46 A$18.76

4.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.62 A$6.44

0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.32 A$7.42

-5.26%

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

$66.2 A$92.2

81.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.61 A$5.03

-3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.56 A$2.18

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.15 A$46.19

-18.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.4K A$40.9K

0.13%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.4K A$31.2K

5.16%

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

$150 A$209

$187 A$260

-19.62%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.36 A$38.13

-22.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$53.6 A$74.7

-6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$49.23 A$68.6

-0.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.76 A$21.95

3.87%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.26 A$18.48

23.91%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,635 A$2,279

7.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.0K A$16.8K

59.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$68.5 A$95.4

-0.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$51.1 A$71.2

4.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$101 A$140

5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$106 A$148

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,269 A$1,769

23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,048 A$1,461

13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,045 A$2,849

49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,671 A$2,328

19.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,508 A$7,675

34.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,834 A$8,130

11.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$5,256 A$7,325

-14.15%

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 Port Hedland: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,269 in Port Hedland. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Hedland pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Port Hedland. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $338, with Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Port Hedland differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,269 including rent). Port Hedland is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Port Hedland earns 16% less. 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,269 in Port Hedland. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,635 in Port Hedland. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,269 in Port Hedland versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Port Hedland but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland 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 Port Hedland 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.