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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,274 in Port Lincoln.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,327 in Port Lincoln.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,380 in Port Lincoln.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Port Lincoln 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.31 A$22.73

21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.8 A$110

-0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.63 A$13.42

0.73%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.52 A$4.91

3.98%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.52 A$3.52

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.09 A$2.91

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.40 A$8.92

12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.17 A$9.99

-2.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.43 A$2.00

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.44 A$3.39

9.02%

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

$8.70 A$12.12

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.62 A$12.02

9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.44 A$18.73

7.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.21 A$4.47

3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.81 A$3.91

-1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.88 A$4.01

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.03 A$5.62

-1.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.39 A$3.34

12.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.18 A$3.04

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.12 A$2.95

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.59 A$2.22

2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$30.63 A$42.68

5.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$12.31 A$17.15

14.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.45 A$6.19

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.45 A$7.59

-7.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.59 A$3.61

34.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$63.9 A$89.0

87.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.56 A$4.97

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.56 A$2.17

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$34.05 A$47.44

-20.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.18 A$1.65

0.85%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.3K A$40.8K

0.40%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.3K A$31.1K

5.80%

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

$150 A$209

$186 A$260

-19.58%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.22 A$37.93

-22.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$52.6 A$73.4

-4.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.66 A$67.8

0.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.65 A$21.81

4.60%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.98 A$18.09

26.58%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,623 A$2,261

8.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.8K A$16.5K

62.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$69.3 A$96.6

-1.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$49.84 A$69.5

6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$101 A$140

5.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$107 A$149

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,278 A$1,781

23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,081 A$1,507

10.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,983 A$2,764

53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,667 A$2,323

19.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,346 A$7,449

38.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,227 A$7,284

24.87%

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 Port Lincoln: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,278 in Port Lincoln. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Port Lincoln. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $335, with Port Lincoln 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 Lincoln: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Port Lincoln differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,274 including rent). Port Lincoln 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 $3,411 in Port Lincoln 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 $1,278 in Port Lincoln. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,623 in Port Lincoln. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,274 in Port Lincoln versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Port Lincoln but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Port Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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.