Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Redcliffe Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Redcliffe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,223 in Redcliffe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,191 in Redcliffe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,159 in Redcliffe.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than Redcliffe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Redcliffe 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.58 A$23.11

19.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$64.2 A$89.5

22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.84 A$13.71

-1.42%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.32 A$4.63

10.24%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.31 A$3.22

12.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.99 A$2.78

17.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.64 A$9.26

7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$5.78 A$8.06

20.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.15 A$1.61

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.97 A$2.74

35.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.92 A$2.68

21.87%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$3.30 A$4.59

45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$7.36 A$10.25

19.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$7.78 A$10.84

21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$12.54 A$17.47

14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$2.67 A$3.72

24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$1.92 A$2.68

44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.53 A$3.53

18.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$2.57 A$3.59

53.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$1.65 A$2.30

62.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$1.98 A$2.75

19.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.59 A$2.22

34.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.91 A$2.66

-14.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$16.33 A$22.76

98.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$14.59 A$20.33

-3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$6.26 A$8.73

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.92 A$8.25

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.59 A$3.60

34.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$66.1 A$92.2

81.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$2.06 A$2.87

69.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.41 A$1.96

-4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.89 A$47.22

-20.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.18 A$1.64

0.85%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.2K A$40.7K

0.73%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.3K A$31.0K

5.80%

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

$150 A$209

$216 A$301

-30.51%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$31.67 A$44.13

-33.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$54.8 A$76.3

-8.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.55 A$67.7

1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.67 A$21.83

4.47%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.25 A$18.47

24.00%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,041 A$1,451

69.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$7,081 A$9,868

171.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$62.1 A$86.5

10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$48.67 A$67.8

9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$91.2 A$127

16.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$126 A$175

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,259 A$1,754

24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,070 A$1,491

11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$1,985 A$2,767

53.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,703 A$2,373

16.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,327 A$7,424

38.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,518 A$6,296

44.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.54

-5.35%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Redcliffe: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,259 in Redcliffe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $64.0 in Redcliffe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $309 per month, with Redcliffe 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 Redcliffe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Redcliffe differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,223 including rent). Redcliffe 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 $3,335 in Redcliffe 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 $1,259 in Redcliffe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,041 in Redcliffe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,223 in Redcliffe versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Redcliffe but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Redcliffe 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 Redcliffe 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 Redcliffe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.