Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Warrnambool Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Warrnambool

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,604 in Warrnambool.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,709 in Warrnambool.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,814 in Warrnambool.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Warrnambool 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.73

$17.94 A$25.08

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$85.2 A$119

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.42

$9.58 A$13.39

30.06%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.83

$4.24 A$5.92

-1.65%

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

$3.15 A$4.41

$3.24 A$4.52

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.69 A$3.76

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.05

$10.07 A$14.08

-0.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.89

$8.50 A$11.88

0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.26

$1.65 A$2.30

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.60

$3.27 A$4.57

0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.22

$2.72 A$3.80

11.03%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.39

$4.85 A$6.78

23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.46

$11.18 A$15.62

-1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.86

$9.65 A$13.49

2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.18

$15.46 A$21.60

2.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.17

$4.19 A$5.85

5.25%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.50

$1.75 A$2.44

84.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.82

$3.30 A$4.61

4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.86

$4.99 A$6.98

-1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.38

$3.12 A$4.37

0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.54 A$3.55

4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.57 A$3.59

-1.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.70 A$2.37

-0.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.6

$45.76 A$64.0

0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.59

$12.25 A$17.12

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.56

$5.53 A$7.73

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.45

$4.99 A$6.98

6.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.64

$3.07 A$4.30

31.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

$85.4 A$119

66.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.58

$4.26 A$5.96

10.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.78

$30.97 A$43.28

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$2.00

$1.31 A$1.83

9.16%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

$28.8K A$40.3K

2.30%

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

$27.0K A$37.7K

$27.2K A$38.0K

-0.88%

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

$239 A$334

$242 A$339

-1.23%

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

$28.19 A$39.41

$27.58 A$38.55

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$80.1

$56.4 A$78.9

1.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$78.1

$57.4 A$80.3

-2.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.76

$18.31 A$25.60

24.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$25.00

$18.22 A$25.47

-1.81%

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

$2,456 A$3,433

$2,473 A$3,457

-0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.1K

$33.6K A$46.9K

-6.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$82.3 A$115

0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.8

$51.8 A$72.3

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$49.41 A$69.1

143.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$136 A$190

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,484

$1,442 A$2,015

23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,037

$1,311 A$1,833

11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,978

$2,269 A$3,172

56.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,590

$1,895 A$2,649

35.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.2K

$6,723 A$9,397

8.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,640

$5,274 A$7,372

30.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,233

$1,408 A$1,968

216.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

4.87

19.92%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Warrnambool: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,442 in Warrnambool. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 217% 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 $85.0 in Warrnambool for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $384 per month, with Warrnambool 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 Warrnambool: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Warrnambool differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,604 including rent). Warrnambool is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 217% 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 $1,442 in Warrnambool. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,456 in Melbourne versus $2,473 in Warrnambool. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Warrnambool 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 Warrnambool 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 Warrnambool 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.