Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Vancouver, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Vancouver, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,848 in Vancouver, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,986 in Vancouver, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $5,125 in Vancouver, WA.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 2% more expensive than in Vancouver, WA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Vancouver, WA 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$22.42 $22.42

-17.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$94.7 $94.7

-8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$12.80 $12.80

-2.66%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$5.86 $5.86

-28.84%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$3.09 $3.09

1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$1.94 $1.94

36.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$6.48 $6.48

55.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$8.15 $8.15

4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.04 $1.04

54.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$4.30 $4.30

-23.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$4.36 $4.36

-30.73%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$4.24 $4.24

41.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$11.91 $11.91

-7.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$10.30 $10.30

-3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$16.80 $16.80

-5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$4.32 $4.32

2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$1.38 $1.38

133.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$2.70 $2.70

27.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$2.54 $2.54

93.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.12 $2.12

48.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.81 $1.81

46.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$2.01 $2.01

25.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.79 $1.79

-5.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$12.01 $12.01

284.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$11.09 $11.09

13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$2.12 $2.12

155.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$4.51 $4.51

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$2.44 $2.44

65.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$90.2 $90.2

57.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$4.47 $4.47

5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$0.78 $0.78

80.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$23.99 $23.99

30.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$1.35 $1.35

5.93%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$36.2K $36.2K

-18.61%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

4.15%

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

$239 A$334

$203 $203

17.96%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$72.4 $72.4

-61.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$64.0 $64.0

-10.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$40.86 $40.86

36.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$25.56 $25.56

-11.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$14.72 $14.72

21.54%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$1,348 $1,348

82.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$12.8K $12.8K

146.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$40.93 $40.93

101.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$29.84 $29.84

74.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$86.2 $86.2

39.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$83.4 $83.4

63.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,812 $1,812

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,505 $1,505

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,350 $2,350

51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$2,068 $2,068

24.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$3,377 $3,377

115.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$3,412 $3,412

102.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$4,347 $4,347

2.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.23

-6.26%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Vancouver, WA: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,812 in Vancouver, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 3% 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: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $95.0 in Vancouver, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $360, with Vancouver, WA 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 Vancouver, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Vancouver, WA differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,848 including rent). Vancouver, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,812 in Vancouver, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $1,348 in Vancouver, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Vancouver, WA 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 Vancouver, WA 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 Vancouver, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.