Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Virginia Beach, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Virginia Beach, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,798 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $4,013 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $5,229 in Virginia Beach, VA.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 4% more expensive than in Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Virginia Beach, VA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.66

$18.34 $18.34

0.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$89.9 $89.9

-3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.38

$12.05 $12.05

3.40%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.81

$6.08 $6.08

-31.41%

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

$3.15 A$4.40

$2.78 $2.78

13.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.70

$2.10 $2.10

26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.01

$6.07 $6.07

65.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.86

$7.18 $7.18

18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.25

$1.03 $1.03

56.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.58

$3.05 $3.05

7.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$5.48 $5.48

-44.89%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.36

$4.82 $4.82

24.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.42

$10.22 $10.22

8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.83

$10.07 $10.07

-1.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.12

$18.19 $18.19

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.15

$2.52 $2.52

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$1.54 $1.54

109.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.80

$5.06 $5.06

-31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.85

$5.87 $5.87

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.37

$2.26 $2.26

38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$4.56 $4.56

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.51

$1.79 $1.79

40.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$2.25 $2.25

-24.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.4

$9.29 $9.29

397.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.54

$12.20 $12.20

3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.54

$1.83 $1.83

195.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.43

$2.13 $2.13

150.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.62

$2.03 $2.03

98.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$68.9 $68.9

106.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.56

$4.56 $4.56

3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.28 $1.28

10.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.67

$20.17 $20.17

55.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$1.99

$0.95 $0.95

50.53%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$35.7K $35.7K

-17.51%

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

$27.0K A$37.6K

$24.5K $24.5K

9.89%

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

$239 A$334

$206 $206

16.01%

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

$28.19 A$39.30

$60.3 $60.3

-53.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$79.9

$65.4 $65.4

-12.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$77.9

$43.30 $43.30

29.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.68

$35.06 $35.06

-35.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.94

$12.15 $12.15

47.24%

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

$2,456 A$3,424

$1,590 $1,590

54.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.0K

$16.1K $16.1K

96.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$61.0 $61.0

35.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.6

$46.79 $46.79

11.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$117 $117

2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$113 $113

20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,477

$1,795 $1,795

-1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,032

$1,412 $1,412

3.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,965

$2,829 $2,829

25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,581

$2,140 $2,140

20.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.1K

$2,305 $2,305

215.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,616

$2,268 $2,268

204.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,217

$4,202 $4,202

6.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.03

-3.15%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Virginia Beach, VA: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,795 in Virginia Beach, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 6% 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 $90.0 in Virginia Beach, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $377, with Virginia Beach, VA 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 Virginia Beach, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Virginia Beach, VA differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,798 including rent). Virginia Beach, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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 $1,795 in Virginia Beach, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $1,590 in Virginia Beach, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Virginia Beach, VA 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 Virginia Beach, VA 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 Virginia Beach, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.