Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Romsey Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Romsey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,272 in Romsey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,352 in Romsey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,432 in Romsey.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 7% more expensive than in Romsey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Romsey 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$19.40 A$27.79

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$77.8 A$111

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$9.79 A$14.02

0.61%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.67 A$5.25

1.63%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.58 A$3.70

1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.38 A$3.40

-4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$7.41 A$10.62

-0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.12 A$10.20

-2.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.50 A$2.15

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.64 A$3.79

-2.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.82 A$6.91

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.95 A$12.82

-2.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$9.24 A$13.24

0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$14.86 A$21.29

-1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.15 A$4.51

5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.90 A$4.15

-3.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.85 A$4.09

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.89 A$5.58

2.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$2.72 A$3.90

-1.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.35 A$3.37

-5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.21 A$3.17

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$32.58 A$46.68

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$13.75 A$19.69

1.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.46 A$6.39

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.21 A$7.47

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.67 A$3.83

31.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$64.4 A$92.3

87.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.62 A$5.18

-1.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$26.70 A$38.26

3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.14 A$1.64

0.88%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.6K A$41.0K

2.07%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$23.6K A$33.8K

-2.60%

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

$154 A$220

$153 A$219

0.60%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$21.10 A$30.23

-0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$50.6 A$72.5

1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$49.04 A$70.3

-0.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.86 A$22.72

2.40%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$16.57 A$23.73

-3.62%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,771 A$2,537

-0.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$19.5K A$27.9K

0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$68.7 A$98.4

-2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$53.8 A$77.1

1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$105 A$151

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$105 A$150

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,288 A$1,846

22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,066 A$1,527

13.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$2,027 A$2,904

50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,708 A$2,447

18.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$6,670 A$9,556

6.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,780 A$8,281

11.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Romsey: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,288 in Romsey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Romsey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $353 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 Romsey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Romsey differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $2,272 including rent). Romsey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,630 in Melbourne and $3,407 in Romsey 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,288 in Romsey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $1,771 in Romsey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,272 in Romsey versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Romsey but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Romsey 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 Romsey 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 Romsey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.