Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Sunshine Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Sunshine Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $1,962 in Sunshine Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $2,946 in Sunshine Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,930 in Sunshine Coast.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 23% more expensive than Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Sunshine Coast 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.67

$14.40 A$20.17

37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$66.2 A$92.8

18.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.60

$8.94 A$12.52

8.50%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.13

$3.40 A$4.76

7.65%

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

$2.60 A$3.65

$2.14 A$3.00

21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.28

$2.31 A$3.24

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.05

$6.31 A$8.84

13.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.79

$7.09 A$9.93

-1.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.03

$1.27 A$1.78

14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.73

$1.81 A$2.54

46.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.27

$1.74 A$2.44

34.48%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.73

$4.35 A$6.09

10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.28

$7.13 A$10.00

23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.22

$8.85 A$12.40

6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.21

$12.61 A$17.67

14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.67

$2.70 A$3.79

23.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.89

$2.29 A$3.21

20.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.20

$3.51 A$4.92

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.53

$3.82 A$5.35

3.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.75

$1.91 A$2.67

40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.30

$1.73 A$2.42

36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.99

$1.92 A$2.69

11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.29

$1.68 A$2.35

-2.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.46

$23.79 A$33.33

36.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.76

$14.22 A$19.92

-0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.51

$4.93 A$6.91

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.06

$5.78 A$8.10

-12.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.89

$1.38 A$1.94

152.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$37.51 A$52.6

219.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.90

$2.06 A$2.89

69.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.88

$1.39 A$1.95

-2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.75

$34.17 A$47.87

-21.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.67

$1.14 A$1.60

4.39%

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

$29.4K A$41.2K

$28.5K A$40.0K

3.15%

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

$23.6K A$33.0K

$21.5K A$30.2K

9.50%

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

$150 A$210

$129 A$180

16.53%

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

$21.16 A$29.65

$28.51 A$39.95

-25.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.5

$44.05 A$61.7

14.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.9

$50.1 A$70.2

-1.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.94

$15.68 A$21.97

4.40%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$23.03

$13.19 A$18.49

24.56%

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

$1,764 A$2,471

$292 A$410

503.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.9K

$7,188 A$10.1K

166.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.7

$60.4 A$84.6

13.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.7

$47.44 A$66.5

12.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$149

$88.7 A$124

19.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$95.1 A$133

10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,203

$1,086 A$1,522

44.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,674

$934 A$1,309

27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,270

$1,791 A$2,509

70.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,788

$1,642 A$2,300

21.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,146

$5,366 A$7,519

21.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,323

$3,534 A$4,952

27.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.25

-0.96%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,086 in Sunshine Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 28% 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 $66.0 in Sunshine Coast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $321 per month, with Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Sunshine Coast differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $1,962 including rent). Sunshine Coast is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 28% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,086 in Sunshine Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $292 in Sunshine Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,962 in Sunshine Coast versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Sunshine Coast but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.