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: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,426 in Tasmania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,566 in Tasmania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,707 in Tasmania.

Monthly costs are close between Melbourne and Tasmania; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Tasmania 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$26.45 A$37.89

-26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$76.6 A$110

1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$10.10 A$14.47

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.50 A$5.02

6.57%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.58 A$3.70

1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$2.10 A$3.01

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$6.35 A$9.10

15.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$7.26 A$10.40

-4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.71 A$2.45

-12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.87 A$4.12

-10.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$2.01 A$2.88

16.42%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.48 A$6.42

8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$11.14 A$15.96

-21.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$13.36 A$19.14

-30.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$16.72 A$23.96

-12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.23 A$4.63

2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$2.72 A$3.90

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$2.87 A$4.11

4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$3.50 A$5.01

13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$3.16 A$4.53

-15.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$2.90 A$4.15

-23.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$2.68 A$3.84

-18.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.53 A$2.19

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$30.73 A$44.03

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$12.32 A$17.65

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$4.70 A$6.74

-0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$5.25 A$7.51

-4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.56 A$3.66

36.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$64.9 A$92.9

85.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.54 A$5.07

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$1.55 A$2.22

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$33.00 A$47.27

-16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-0.81%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$22.5K A$32.3K

1.95%

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

$154 A$220

$181 A$259

-14.98%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$26.97 A$38.64

-22.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$108 A$155

-52.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$48.35 A$69.3

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.60 A$22.35

4.10%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$13.06 A$18.71

22.28%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,595 A$2,286

10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$11.9K A$17.1K

63.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$67.0 A$96.0

0.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$50.6 A$72.5

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$99.1 A$142

6.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$106 A$151

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,248 A$1,788

26.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,055 A$1,511

14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$1,991 A$2,852

52.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,658 A$2,376

21.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$6,715 A$9,620

5.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

$4,671 A$6,692

-5.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tasmania: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,248 in Tasmania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tasmania pays 6% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Tasmania for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $387 per month, with Melbourne 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 Tasmania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,248 in Tasmania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Melbourne runs roughly 86% less than in Tasmania. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Tasmania. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,426 in Tasmania, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Melbourne but tight or insufficient in Tasmania. The gap between the two cities makes Melbourne 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.

It comes down to priorities – Melbourne wins on affordability, Tasmania on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.