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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $1,990 in Sunshine Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,013 in Sunshine Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,036 in Sunshine Coast.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 22% more expensive than in Sunshine Coast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Sunshine Coast 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$14.37 A$20.59

34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$65.7 A$94.1

17.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$9.06 A$12.98

8.72%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.41 A$4.89

9.38%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.15 A$3.08

21.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.31 A$3.31

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.64 A$9.51

10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.00 A$10.03

-0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.27 A$1.82

18.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$1.86 A$2.67

38.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.82 A$2.60

28.57%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.29 A$6.14

13.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$7.29 A$10.44

19.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.92 A$12.77

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$12.21 A$17.50

19.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$2.76 A$3.96

20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.30 A$3.30

22.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$3.59 A$5.14

-16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.89 A$5.57

2.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$1.95 A$2.80

36.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$1.77 A$2.53

25.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.01 A$2.88

8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.74 A$2.49

-5.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$23.49 A$33.66

36.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$17.12 A$24.53

-18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$5.01 A$7.18

-6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.51 A$7.89

-8.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$1.38 A$1.98

153.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$36.86 A$52.8

227.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$1.96 A$2.81

81.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.41 A$2.02

-0.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$34.09 A$48.85

-19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.16 A$1.67

-0.86%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-0.75%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$21.7K A$31.0K

5.92%

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

$154 A$220

$129 A$185

19.18%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$28.57 A$40.94

-26.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$43.44 A$62.2

18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$48.94 A$70.1

-0.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.35 A$22.00

5.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$13.23 A$18.96

20.71%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$287 A$411

514.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$7,245 A$10.4K

169.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$61.3 A$87.9

9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$47.41 A$67.9

14.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$88.6 A$127

19.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$94.6 A$136

9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,105 A$1,583

42.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$923 A$1,322

30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$1,783 A$2,555

70.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,607 A$2,303

25.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$5,551 A$7,953

27.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,028 A$7,203

27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

$3,419 A$4,898

28.63%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sunshine Coast: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,105 in Sunshine Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 29% 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: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $66.0 in Sunshine Coast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $329 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 22% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $1,990 including rent). Sunshine Coast is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,105 in Sunshine Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $287 in Sunshine Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,990 in Sunshine Coast versus $2,420 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 22% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.