Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wanneroo Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wanneroo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,420 in Melbourne versus $2,109 in Wanneroo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Melbourne versus $3,092 in Wanneroo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,765 in Melbourne versus $4,075 in Wanneroo.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 15% more expensive than in Wanneroo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 81% above, Wanneroo 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 A$27.73

$13.25 A$18.99

46.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$111

$79.2 A$114

-2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 A$14.11

$10.38 A$14.88

-5.11%

Cappuccino

$3.73 A$5.34

$1.34 A$1.92

178.36%

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

$2.62 A$3.75

$2.01 A$2.88

30.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.27

$1.02 A$1.45

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.54

$7.89 A$11.30

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 A$9.94

$6.65 A$9.53

4.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.41 A$2.01

6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 A$3.69

$1.28 A$1.84

101.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$0.62 A$0.89

277.42%

Eggs

$4.85 A$6.95

$4.48 A$6.41

8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.50

$8.40 A$12.04

3.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 A$13.26

$8.63 A$12.37

7.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 A$20.89

$13.62 A$19.51

7.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.75

$3.41 A$4.89

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$4.03

$1.31 A$1.88

114.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.30

$1.92 A$2.75

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 A$5.70

$4.60 A$6.60

-13.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.82

$0.68 A$0.97

292.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.20

$1.33 A$1.90

67.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.93 A$2.76

13.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 A$2.35

$1.51 A$2.16

8.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.95 A$45.77

$31.63 A$45.31

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 A$19.94

$13.38 A$19.17

4.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.67 A$6.69

$3.87 A$5.55

20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.22

$4.11 A$5.89

22.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 A$5.02

$2.68 A$3.84

30.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$173

$65.7 A$94.1

83.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.90 A$5.59

-8.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

$2.14 A$3.06

-34.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.50 A$39.39

$49.66 A$71.2

-44.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$1.11 A$1.59

3.60%

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

$29.2K A$41.8K

$28.8K A$41.3K

1.32%

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

$23.0K A$32.9K

$24.0K A$34.4K

-4.37%

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

$154 A$220

$159 A$228

-3.19%

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

$20.93 A$29.99

$28.08 A$40.23

-25.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 A$73.7

$56.2 A$80.4

-8.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.0

$49.17 A$70.5

-0.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.27

$15.47 A$22.16

4.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 A$22.88

$16.40 A$23.50

-2.62%

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

$1,765 A$2,529

$1,762 A$2,525

0.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K A$28.0K

$12.3K A$17.6K

59.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 A$96.1

$70.1 A$100

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 A$78.0

$48.32 A$69.2

12.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$102 A$147

3.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 A$149

$107 A$153

-2.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 A$2,257

$1,262 A$1,808

24.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,728

$1,068 A$1,530

12.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,041 A$4,357

$2,031 A$2,910

49.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 A$2,897

$1,662 A$2,381

21.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

$5,996 A$8,591

18.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,198

$5,849 A$8,380

9.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 A$6,301

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.42

-3.58%

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

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Last update for Wanneroo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Melbourne and $1,262 in Wanneroo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $77.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Wanneroo. Groceries flip the comparison at $353 vs $297, with Wanneroo 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 Wanneroo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Wanneroo differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,420 vs $2,109 including rent). Wanneroo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,630 in Melbourne and $3,163 in Wanneroo 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: $1,575 in Melbourne versus $1,262 in Wanneroo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,765 in Melbourne versus $1,762 in Wanneroo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,109 in Wanneroo versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wanneroo but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Wanneroo 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 Wanneroo 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 Wanneroo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.