Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Toms River, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Toms River, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,818 in Toms River, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $4,252 in Toms River, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $5,687 in Toms River, NJ.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 3% more expensive than in Toms River, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Toms River, NJ 104% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$19.91 $19.91

-7.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$74.8 $74.8

15.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$12.10 $12.10

2.98%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$5.41 $5.41

-22.92%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.61 $2.61

20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$1.82 $1.82

45.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$5.13 $5.13

95.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.14 $7.14

19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.35 $1.35

19.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$4.68 $4.68

-29.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$2.44 $2.44

23.77%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$4.63 $4.63

29.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$16.42 $16.42

-32.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$17.19 $17.19

-42.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$16.32 $16.32

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$5.96 $5.96

-26.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$1.35 $1.35

138.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$4.99 $4.99

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$6.14 $6.14

-20.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$1.51 $1.51

107.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.71 $2.71

-1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.45 $2.45

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.98 $1.98

-14.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$9.80 $9.80

371.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$9.83 $9.83

27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$2.76 $2.76

96.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$3.24 $3.24

64.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$2.99 $2.99

57.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$2.14 $2.14

-34.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$42.19 $42.19

-25.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$0.88 $0.88

62.50%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$35.4K $35.4K

-16.71%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.87%

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

$239 A$334

$243 $243

-1.43%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$36.36 $36.36

-22.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$62.2 $62.2

-7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$30.48 $30.48

83.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$17.50 $17.50

2.23%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$2,445 $2,445

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$33.8K $33.8K

-6.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$69.8 $69.8

18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$77.3 $77.3

-32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$118 $118

2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$122 $122

12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,649 $1,649

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,508 $1,508

-3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,831 $2,831

25.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$2,795 $2,795

-8.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$5,455 $5,455

-18.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.33

-7.74%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Toms River, NJ: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,649 in Toms River, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toms River, NJ pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $75.0 in Toms River, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $445, 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 Toms River, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Toms River, NJ differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,818 including rent). Toms River, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Toms River, NJ. 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,649 in Toms River, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,818 in Toms River, NJ – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toms River, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Toms River, NJ 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 Toms River, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.