Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Toowoomba Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Toowoomba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,193 in Toowoomba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,039 in Toowoomba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $3,885 in Toowoomba.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Toowoomba 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$16.90 A$23.83

7.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$76.2 A$107

11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$9.80 A$13.82

23.57%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$3.71 A$5.23

11.05%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$2.87 A$4.05

11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$2.40 A$3.39

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$6.91 A$9.75

41.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$7.25 A$10.23

17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$1.66 A$2.34

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$2.32 A$3.28

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$1.98 A$2.79

43.94%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$4.62 A$6.52

26.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$9.07 A$12.79

21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$9.19 A$12.96

9.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$11.96 A$16.87

29.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$3.10 A$4.37

41.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$1.82 A$2.57

74.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$1.39 A$1.96

135.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$2.18 A$3.08

123.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$2.57 A$3.63

21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$2.37 A$3.34

11.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.48 A$3.49

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$1.00 A$1.41

68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$36.33 A$51.2

26.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$14.43 A$20.35

-12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$4.77 A$6.73

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$6.92 A$9.76

-23.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$3.10 A$4.38

25.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$2.24 A$3.17

107.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.66 A$2.34

-15.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

$35.31 A$49.80

-13.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$1.24 A$1.75

11.29%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$27.1K A$38.2K

6.84%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$24.4K A$34.4K

11.66%

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

$238 A$335

$78.7 A$111

202.25%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$30.99 A$43.70

-9.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$54.2 A$76.5

6.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$42.09 A$59.4

30.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$17.73 A$25.01

25.83%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$14.01 A$19.76

27.55%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$2,116 A$2,985

15.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

$7,419 A$10.5K

332.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$77.0 A$109

5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$55.4 A$78.1

-6.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$78.1 A$110

53.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$123 A$173

10.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,253 A$1,767

40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$1,130 A$1,594

26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$1,667 A$2,350

106.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,431 A$2,018

79.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$3,425 A$4,830

114.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$2,764 A$3,898

149.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$4,001 A$5,642

8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

5.73

2.79%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Toowoomba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,253 in Toowoomba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 9% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $76.0 in Toowoomba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $319 per month, with Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Toowoomba differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,193 including rent). Toowoomba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,253 in Toowoomba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,905 per month in Melbourne versus $2,193 in Toowoomba – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,193 in Toowoomba versus $2,905 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Toowoomba but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba 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.