Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Scottsdale, AZ Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Scottsdale, AZ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $3,051 in Scottsdale, AZ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $4,338 in Scottsdale, AZ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $5,624 in Scottsdale, AZ.

Living in Melbourne costs roughly 21% less than in Scottsdale, AZ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Scottsdale, AZ 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$18.51 $18.51

6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$75.7 $75.7

3.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$12.23 $12.23

-20.69%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$5.50 $5.50

-33.45%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.81 $2.81

-7.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.13 $2.13

9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$5.83 $5.83

22.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.90 $6.90

1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$0.90 $0.90

61.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$3.49 $3.49

-23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$4.93 $4.93

-52.54%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.11 $4.11

16.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$11.21 $11.21

-21.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$11.67 $11.67

-19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$14.73 $14.73

-2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$4.56 $4.56

-26.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$1.49 $1.49

85.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$3.95 $3.95

-24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.14 $4.14

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.88 $2.88

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.40 $2.40

-1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$1.93 $1.93

10.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$2.52 $2.52

-35.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$9.07 $9.07

257.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$13.66 $13.66

3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$2.07 $2.07

124.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$3.46 $3.46

45.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.32 $2.32

50.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$43.34 $43.34

176.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$2.81 $2.81

24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.41 $1.41

-4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$36.57 $36.57

-26.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$0.98 $0.98

21.43%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$30.7K $30.7K

-4.27%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$26.3K $26.3K

-10.31%

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

$150 A$209

$261 $261

-42.57%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$70.4 $70.4

-69.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$80.1 $80.1

-37.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$34.20 $34.20

43.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$12.98 $12.98

26.58%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,154 $1,154

52.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$15.8K $15.8K

21.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$51.3 $51.3

33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$41.61 $41.61

28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$84.2 $84.2

26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$119 $119

-11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,860 $1,860

-15.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,701 $1,701

-29.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$3,468 $3,468

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$2,794 $2,794

-28.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$3,723 $3,723

98.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$4,576 $4,576

42.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$5,647 $5,647

-20.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.51

-4.92%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Scottsdale, AZ: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,860 in Scottsdale, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scottsdale, AZ pays 25% 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 $76.0 in Scottsdale, AZ. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $380, with Melbourne 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 Scottsdale, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Scottsdale, AZ differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $3,051 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Scottsdale, AZ earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,860 in Scottsdale, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,154 in Scottsdale, AZ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Scottsdale, AZ. 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 Scottsdale, AZ 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 26% less than in Scottsdale, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.