Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wagga Wagga Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wagga Wagga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,894 in Melbourne versus $2,574 in Wagga Wagga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,377 in Melbourne versus $3,381 in Wagga Wagga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,860 in Melbourne versus $4,188 in Wagga Wagga.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 12% more expensive than in Wagga Wagga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Wagga Wagga 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.95 A$25.05

$13.97 A$19.49

28.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$91.3 A$127

-7.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 A$17.10

$10.59 A$14.77

15.77%

Cappuccino

$4.22 A$5.90

$4.09 A$5.71

3.18%

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

$3.16 A$4.40

$3.15 A$4.40

0.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.81 A$3.92

-5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 A$13.93

$8.80 A$12.29

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 A$12.32

$9.97 A$13.91

-11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.30

$1.68 A$2.35

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 A$4.75

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.89

$2.74 A$3.82

1.82%

Eggs

$5.69 A$7.94

$5.45 A$7.60

4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 A$15.77

$14.33 A$20.00

-21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 A$13.49

$7.21 A$10.06

34.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 A$22.02

$16.45 A$22.95

-4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.85

$4.14 A$5.78

1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.21

$3.23 A$4.50

-6.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.57

$3.54 A$4.93

-7.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.72

$5.22 A$7.29

-7.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.55

$3.13 A$4.37

4.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.85 A$3.98

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.51

$2.73 A$3.81

-8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.29

$1.45 A$2.02

13.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.11 A$64.3

$45.12 A$63.0

2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 A$16.83

$15.20 A$21.20

-20.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.48 A$7.65

$4.75 A$6.62

15.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 A$7.19

$5.58 A$7.79

-7.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 A$5.34

$3.20 A$4.47

19.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

$80.2 A$112

80.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 A$6.02

$4.09 A$5.70

5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 A$2.05

$1.66 A$2.31

-11.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.29

$43.44 A$60.6

-28.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.21 A$1.68

20.66%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

$28.0K A$39.1K

5.51%

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

$27.7K A$38.7K

$30.6K A$42.8K

-9.52%

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

$242 A$338

$188 A$263

28.67%

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

$28.20 A$39.35

$28.42 A$39.66

-0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 A$79.8

$57.3 A$79.9

-0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$78.4

$57.7 A$80.6

-2.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.29

$17.00 A$23.73

27.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$24.96

$16.75 A$23.38

6.81%

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

$2,443 A$3,410

$2,202 A$3,073

10.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.1K

$20.9K A$29.2K

57.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 A$115

$78.4 A$109

4.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 A$70.4

$57.8 A$80.6

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 A$176

$122 A$170

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$193

$137 A$192

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 A$2,475

$1,458 A$2,035

21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 A$1,992

$1,300 A$1,814

9.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 A$4,889

$1,539 A$2,148

127.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 A$3,512

$1,135 A$1,584

121.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,411 A$10.3K

$6,759 A$9,432

9.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,718 A$9,375

$5,196 A$7,252

29.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,249

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

5.95

-1.68%

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

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Wagga Wagga: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,774 in Melbourne and $1,458 in Wagga Wagga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $91.0 in Wagga Wagga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $401 per month, with Melbourne 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 Wagga Wagga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Wagga Wagga differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,894 vs $2,574 including rent). Wagga Wagga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,341 in Melbourne and $3,861 in Wagga Wagga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,774 in Melbourne versus $1,458 in Wagga Wagga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,443 in Melbourne versus $2,202 in Wagga Wagga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Wagga Wagga 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 Wagga Wagga 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 Wagga Wagga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.