Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Shepparton Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Shepparton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,236 in Shepparton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,335 in Shepparton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,435 in Shepparton.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 30% more expensive than in Shepparton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Shepparton 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$17.90 A$25.25

1.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$67.4 A$95.0

25.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$9.70 A$13.69

24.85%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$4.17 A$5.89

-1.20%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$3.19 A$4.49

0.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$2.52 A$3.55

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$7.02 A$9.90

39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$8.33 A$11.75

2.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.51 A$2.13

7.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$2.74 A$3.86

16.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$3.00 A$4.23

-5.00%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$4.03 A$5.69

44.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$11.24 A$15.86

-2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$9.27 A$13.07

8.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$15.28 A$21.55

1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$4.30 A$6.06

2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$3.07 A$4.33

3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$3.31 A$4.67

-0.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$4.83 A$6.81

1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$3.26 A$4.60

-4.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$2.58 A$3.63

2.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.58 A$3.64

-3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$1.70 A$2.40

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$32.65 A$46.05

40.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$12.29 A$17.33

3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$5.64 A$7.96

-0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$5.25 A$7.41

0.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$3.18 A$4.48

22.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$86.3 A$122

62.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$3.88 A$5.47

19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$30.74 A$43.36

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$1.40 A$1.97

-1.43%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$28.4K A$40.1K

1.76%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$27.0K A$38.1K

0.78%

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

$238 A$335

$238 A$336

-0.27%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$28.28 A$39.88

-1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$57.4 A$81.0

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$67.5 A$95.2

-18.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$18.19 A$25.65

22.65%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$18.07 A$25.49

-1.11%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$2,134 A$3,010

14.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$31.4K A$44.2K

2.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$80.0 A$113

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$122 A$172

-1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$126 A$178

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,075 A$1,516

64.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$892 A$1,258

60.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$1,786 A$2,519

92.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,468 A$2,070

74.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$7,153 A$10.1K

2.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$4,980 A$7,023

38.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$2,546 A$3,591

70.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.87

0.34%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shepparton: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,075 in Shepparton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 71% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $67.0 in Shepparton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $383 per month, with Shepparton 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 Shepparton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Shepparton differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,236 including rent). Shepparton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,075 in Shepparton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $2,134 in Shepparton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,236 in Shepparton versus $2,905 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shepparton but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Shepparton 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 Shepparton 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 Shepparton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.