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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,058 in Port Macquarie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $2,951 in Port Macquarie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,845 in Port Macquarie.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 17% more expensive than Port Macquarie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Port Macquarie 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.17 A$22.53

22.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$64.6 A$90.1

21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$8.28 A$11.54

17.15%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.42 A$4.76

7.02%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.42 A$3.38

7.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.68 A$2.34

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$5.95 A$8.29

20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$5.82 A$8.11

20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.31 A$1.83

10.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.34 A$3.27

13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.19 A$3.06

6.85%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.83 A$5.34

25.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$3.33 A$4.63

163.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$7.66 A$10.67

23.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$9.48 A$13.22

52.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.24 A$4.51

2.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.68 A$3.73

3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.59 A$3.61

15.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$3.64 A$5.07

8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.72 A$3.79

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.15 A$2.99

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.61 A$2.24

32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.08 A$1.50

50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$25.54 A$35.60

27.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$10.63 A$14.81

32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$3.94 A$5.49

17.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$3.09 A$4.31

63.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.53 A$3.53

37.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.1 A$90.7

84.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$2.24 A$3.11

56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.57 A$2.18

-14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$37.24 A$51.9

-27.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.12 A$1.56

6.25%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$24.8K A$34.5K

18.82%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$20.7K A$28.8K

14.04%

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

$150 A$209

$84.8 A$118

76.93%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$23.33 A$32.51

-9.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$56.9 A$79.3

-11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.35 A$67.4

1.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.92 A$22.18

2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$9.70 A$13.52

69.38%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$901 A$1,256

95.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$12.1K A$16.9K

58.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$75.5 A$105

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$44.66 A$62.2

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$91.3 A$127

16.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$107 A$149

-2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,262 A$1,758

24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,083 A$1,509

10.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,021 A$2,816

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,621 A$2,259

22.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,990 A$8,347

23.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,210 A$7,260

25.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$2,876 A$4,008

56.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

3.17%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Port Macquarie: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,262 in Port Macquarie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $65.0 in Port Macquarie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $277 per month, with Port Macquarie 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 Port Macquarie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Port Macquarie differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,058 including rent). Port Macquarie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 57% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,262 in Port Macquarie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $901 in Port Macquarie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,058 in Port Macquarie versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Port Macquarie but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Port Macquarie 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 Macquarie 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 Macquarie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.