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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,404 in Tasmania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,527 in Tasmania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,651 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 80% above, Tasmania 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$26.24 A$36.56

-24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$77.4 A$108

1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.89 A$13.78

-1.92%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.46 A$4.82

5.78%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.49 A$3.47

4.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.11 A$2.94

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.65 A$9.27

7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.33 A$10.21

-4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.72 A$2.40

-15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$3.00 A$4.18

-11.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.97 A$2.75

18.78%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.49 A$6.26

6.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$10.96 A$15.27

-19.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$13.19 A$18.37

-28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$16.78 A$23.38

-14.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.22 A$4.48

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.73 A$3.81

1.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.99 A$4.17

0.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$3.59 A$5.00

10.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$3.21 A$4.47

-16.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.88 A$4.01

-18.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.78 A$3.87

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.52 A$2.12

7.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.20 A$43.48

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$12.99 A$18.10

8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.66 A$6.49

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.39 A$7.52

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.64 A$3.67

32.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$66.3 A$92.4

80.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.55 A$4.95

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.56 A$2.17

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.16 A$46.22

-18.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.18 A$1.65

0.85%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.4K A$39.5K

3.71%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.2K A$30.9K

6.28%

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

$150 A$209

$183 A$255

-18.09%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$27.88 A$38.85

-24.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$107 A$149

-52.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.73 A$67.9

0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.80 A$22.02

3.61%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.15 A$18.33

24.94%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,621 A$2,259

8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$11.9K A$16.5K

61.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$68.1 A$94.9

0.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$50.4 A$70.2

5.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$99.4 A$139

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$106 A$147

-1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,262 A$1,758

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,068 A$1,488

11.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,010 A$2,801

51.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,709 A$2,381

16.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$7,005 A$9,761

5.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$4,834 A$6,737

-6.66%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tasmania: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,262 in Tasmania. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tasmania pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Tasmania. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $389, 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

On paper, Tasmania earns 7% less. 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,262 in Tasmania. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tasmania runs roughly 81% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,404 in Tasmania versus $2,416 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.

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