Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and South Yarra Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and South Yarra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,150 in South Yarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,582 in Melbourne versus $3,208 in South Yarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,747 in Melbourne versus $4,266 in South Yarra.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 12% more expensive than South Yarra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, South Yarra 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.24 A$27.22

$19.75 A$27.94

-2.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 A$112

$76.9 A$109

2.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 A$13.97

$7.64 A$10.80

29.19%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.18

$3.23 A$4.57

13.31%

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

$2.57 A$3.64

$2.00 A$2.82

28.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 A$3.21

$1.61 A$2.28

40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 A$10.60

$7.53 A$10.65

-0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 A$10.37

$7.21 A$10.20

1.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.15

$1.50 A$2.12

1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.70

$2.56 A$3.62

1.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.17

$1.32 A$1.86

69.70%

Eggs

$4.69 A$6.64

$3.80 A$5.38

23.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 A$12.96

$8.72 A$12.33

5.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 A$13.27

$6.64 A$9.39

41.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 A$20.58

$14.73 A$20.84

-1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.48

$2.58 A$3.65

22.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.09

$1.93 A$2.73

49.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.16

$1.27 A$1.79

131.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 A$5.66

$2.63 A$3.72

52.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.95

$1.32 A$1.87

111.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.29

$2.00 A$2.83

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.12

$2.15 A$3.04

2.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.34

$1.62 A$2.30

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.10 A$46.82

$28.72 A$40.64

15.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 A$20.30

$12.97 A$18.35

10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.57

$4.46 A$6.31

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 A$7.26

$5.01 A$7.09

2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 A$5.16

$2.59 A$3.66

40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 A$169

$64.6 A$91.4

84.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$4.99

$3.57 A$5.05

-1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.69 A$37.75

$27.29 A$38.62

-2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.61

$1.17 A$1.66

-2.56%

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

$28.8K A$40.8K

$28.4K A$40.2K

1.44%

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

$23.7K A$33.5K

$23.1K A$32.6K

2.72%

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

$150 A$212

$151 A$213

-0.48%

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

$20.81 A$29.45

$21.26 A$30.09

-2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 A$73.1

$38.84 A$55.0

33.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 A$71.0

$49.47 A$70.0

1.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 A$22.77

$15.56 A$22.01

3.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 A$22.58

$12.96 A$18.33

23.15%

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

$1,716 A$2,427

$1,776 A$2,512

-3.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K A$27.8K

$19.3K A$27.3K

1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$94.7

$68.5 A$96.9

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 A$76.7

$53.1 A$75.1

2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$151

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$105 A$149

-0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 A$2,163

$1,253 A$1,773

22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 A$1,697

$1,049 A$1,484

14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,004 A$4,250

$1,986 A$2,810

51.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 A$2,817

$1,711 A$2,420

16.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,160 A$10.1K

$6,577 A$9,306

8.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,075 A$8,595

$5,678 A$8,034

6.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,524 A$6,401

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for South Yarra: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,529 in Melbourne and $1,253 in South Yarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in South Yarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $302 per month, with South Yarra 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 South Yarra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and South Yarra differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,150 including rent). South Yarra 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 $3,225 in South Yarra 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: $1,529 in Melbourne versus $1,253 in South Yarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,716 in Melbourne versus $1,776 in South Yarra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,150 in South Yarra versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in South Yarra but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes South Yarra 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 South Yarra 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 South Yarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.