Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Providence, RI Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Providence, RI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $3,394 in Providence, RI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $4,612 in Providence, RI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $5,830 in Providence, RI.

Living in Melbourne costs roughly 15% less than in Providence, RI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Providence, RI 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$25.05

$17.93 $17.93

0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$95.8 $95.8

-11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.10

$13.25 $13.25

-7.47%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.90

$5.63 $5.63

-25.04%

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

$3.16 A$4.40

$2.95 $2.95

7.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.02 $2.02

31.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.93

$4.87 $4.87

104.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.32

$7.98 $7.98

10.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.30

$1.05 $1.05

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.75

$3.20 $3.20

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.89

$5.19 $5.19

-46.24%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.94

$4.73 $4.73

20.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.77

$11.23 $11.23

0.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$14.48 $14.48

-33.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$22.02

$17.91 $17.91

-11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.85

$4.70 $4.70

-10.85%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$1.38 $1.38

118.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.57

$5.66 $5.66

-42.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.72

$4.67 $4.67

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.55

$3.30 $3.30

-1.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$3.53 $3.53

-26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.51

$2.20 $2.20

14.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.29

$2.06 $2.06

-20.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.3

$13.36 $13.36

245.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.83

$13.67 $13.67

-11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.65

$2.00 $2.00

174.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.19

$4.25 $4.25

21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.34

$2.05 $2.05

86.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

$69.5 $69.5

107.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$6.02

$4.91 $4.91

-12.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.05

$1.41 $1.41

4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.29

$30.32 $30.32

2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.03 $1.03

41.75%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

$36.5K $36.5K

-19.06%

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

$27.7K A$38.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

6.93%

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

$242 A$338

$315 $315

-23.00%

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

$28.20 A$39.35

$69.6 $69.6

-59.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.8

$86.4 $86.4

-33.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.4

$55.5 $55.5

1.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.29

$60.3 $60.3

-63.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.96

$14.87 $14.87

20.31%

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

$2,443 A$3,410

$1,469 $1,469

66.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.1K

$17.1K $17.1K

93.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$115

$53.9 $53.9

52.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.4

$38.88 $38.88

29.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$81.0 $81.0

55.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$193

$102 $102

35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,475

$2,422 $2,422

-26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,992

$1,907 $1,907

-25.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,889

$3,124 $3,124

12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,512

$2,543 $2,543

-1.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

$3,383 $3,383

119.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,375

$3,363 $3,363

99.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,249

$3,658 $3,658

22.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

6.04

-3.15%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Providence, RI: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $2,422 in Providence, RI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 22% 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 $96.0 in Providence, RI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $416 per month, with Melbourne 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 Providence, RI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Providence, RI differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,894 vs $3,394 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% 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 $2,422 in Providence, RI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,443 in Melbourne versus $1,469 in Providence, RI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

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 Providence, RI 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 17% less than in Providence, RI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.