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: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,168 in Warrnambool.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,209 in Warrnambool.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,250 in Warrnambool.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 11% more expensive than Warrnambool, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Warrnambool 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.46 A$22.94

19.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$78.3 A$109

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$8.38 A$11.68

15.75%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.73 A$5.20

-1.88%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.61 A$3.63

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.37 A$3.31

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$7.19 A$10.01

-0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$7.30 A$10.17

-4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.46 A$2.04

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.59 A$3.60

2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$2.24 A$3.12

4.46%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.44 A$6.19

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.89 A$12.38

-1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$9.41 A$13.12

0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$14.57 A$20.31

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.18 A$4.43

4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$1.58 A$2.21

75.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.88 A$4.01

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.08 A$5.69

-3.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.79 A$3.88

-3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.35 A$3.27

0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.15 A$2.99

-0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.65 A$2.29

-1.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$31.88 A$44.42

1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.51 A$6.29

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$5.30 A$7.38

-4.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.63 A$3.66

32.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$64.1 A$89.4

87.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$3.61 A$5.03

-3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.40 A$1.95

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$26.89 A$37.47

0.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.18 A$1.65

0.85%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$28.8K A$40.2K

2.08%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$23.5K A$32.8K

0.11%

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

$150 A$209

$152 A$212

-1.52%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$20.73 A$28.89

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$49.64 A$69.2

-1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.59 A$21.72

5.00%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$16.45 A$22.93

-0.12%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,778 A$2,478

-0.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$19.6K A$27.4K

-2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$67.1 A$93.5

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$52.8 A$73.5

0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$46.07 A$64.2

130.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$103 A$144

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,266 A$1,764

24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,061 A$1,478

12.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,008 A$2,799

51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,664 A$2,319

19.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$5,621 A$7,833

31.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,674 A$7,906

15.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

$1,387 A$1,933

225.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

5.73

8.03%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Warrnambool: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,266 in Warrnambool. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 225% 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: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $78.0 in Warrnambool for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $345 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 11% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,168 including rent). Warrnambool is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 225% more on average, 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,266 in Warrnambool. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,778 in Warrnambool. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,168 in Warrnambool versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Warrnambool but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Warrnambool 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 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 11% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.