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: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,267 in Sunshine Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,485 in Sunshine Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,703 in Sunshine Coast.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 28% more expensive than in Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Sunshine Coast 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$17.82 A$24.84

3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$76.5 A$107

13.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$10.62 A$14.80

17.33%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$4.30 A$5.99

-3.02%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.87 A$4.00

9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.85 A$3.98

-7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$7.99 A$11.14

25.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$9.50 A$13.25

-10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.37 A$1.91

17.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$1.94 A$2.71

69.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.11 A$2.94

43.13%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$4.77 A$6.64

25.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$11.35 A$15.82

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$8.44 A$11.77

17.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$21.39 A$29.82

-25.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$3.11 A$4.33

41.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$2.63 A$3.66

22.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$3.12 A$4.35

10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$4.04 A$5.63

21.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.12 A$2.95

48.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.74 A$2.43

52.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.25 A$3.13

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$2.42 A$3.38

-30.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$48.97 A$68.3

-5.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$16.03 A$22.34

-21.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$5.37 A$7.49

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$6.33 A$8.82

-15.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$1.53 A$2.14

163.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$41.88 A$58.4

238.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$2.25 A$3.14

109.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.61 A$2.24

-12.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$36.86 A$51.4

-15.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.28 A$1.79

11.72%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$31.6K A$44.1K

-6.82%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$31.7K A$44.2K

-15.03%

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

$239 A$334

$142 A$199

68.02%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$44.03 A$61.4

-35.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$68.7 A$95.8

-16.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$51.9 A$72.3

7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$17.55 A$24.47

29.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$15.82 A$22.06

13.08%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,155 A$3,004

13.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$65.8 A$91.8

25.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$115 A$160

-54.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$103 A$144

16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$103 A$144

32.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,239 A$1,728

43.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,049 A$1,463

38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$1,942 A$2,707

83.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$1,762 A$2,457

45.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$5,667 A$7,901

28.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$5,264 A$7,339

31.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$3,544 A$4,941

25.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.75

1.57%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,239 in Sunshine Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 26% 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: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $76.0 in Sunshine Coast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $384 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 28% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,267 including rent). Sunshine Coast is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,239 in Sunshine Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,155 in Sunshine Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,267 in Sunshine Coast versus $2,910 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 28% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.