Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Tasmania Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Tasmania

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $2,188 in Tasmania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $3,028 in Tasmania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $3,869 in Tasmania.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 32% more expensive than in Tasmania, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Tasmania 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$25.05

$29.03 A$40.51

-38.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$70.6 A$98.5

19.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.10

$11.09 A$15.48

10.55%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.90

$4.17 A$5.82

1.20%

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

$3.16 A$4.40

$2.85 A$3.98

10.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.13 A$2.98

24.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.93

$11.36 A$15.86

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.32

$7.01 A$9.78

25.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.30

$2.28 A$3.19

-27.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.75

$3.52 A$4.91

-3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.89

$2.36 A$3.29

18.22%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.94

$5.43 A$7.58

4.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.77

$10.39 A$14.50

8.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$12.72 A$17.75

-23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$22.02

$16.10 A$22.47

-1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.85

$3.57 A$4.98

17.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.75 A$3.84

9.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.57

$2.90 A$4.05

12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.72

$4.04 A$5.64

19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.55

$3.95 A$5.52

-17.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.93 A$4.09

-11.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.51

$2.97 A$4.14

-15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.29

$0.91 A$1.28

80.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.3

$31.82 A$44.41

44.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.83

$13.04 A$18.20

-7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.65

$7.76 A$10.82

-29.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.19

$7.60 A$10.60

-32.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$6.02

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.36 A$1.90

7.35%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

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

$27.7K A$38.7K

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

$242 A$338

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

$28.20 A$39.35

$21.59 A$30.13

30.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.8

$57.3 A$80.0

-0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.4

$64.4 A$89.9

-12.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.29

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.96

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

$2,443 A$3,410

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$115

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$141 A$197

-10.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$193

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,475

$1,160 A$1,618

52.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,992

$1,142 A$1,594

24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,889

$1,767 A$2,467

98.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,512

$1,448 A$2,021

73.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

$6,962 A$9,716

6.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,375

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,249

$4,750 A$6,629

-5.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tasmania: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $1,160 in Tasmania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tasmania pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $71.0 in Tasmania. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $419, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tasmania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Tasmania differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($2,894 vs $2,188 including rent). Tasmania is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Tasmania. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,774 in Melbourne versus $1,160 in Tasmania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tasmania – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,894 per month in Melbourne versus $2,188 in Tasmania – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,188 in Tasmania versus $2,894 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Tasmania but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Tasmania 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 Tasmania 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 Tasmania gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.