Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wichita, KS Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wichita, KS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Melbourne versus $2,210 in Wichita, KS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,612 in Melbourne versus $3,434 in Wichita, KS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,772 in Melbourne versus $4,659 in Wichita, KS.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 82% above, Wichita, KS 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.40 A$26.96

$19.71 $19.71

-1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 A$106

$55.2 $55.2

38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 A$13.89

$9.91 $9.91

0.81%

Cappuccino

$3.71 A$5.16

$4.53 $4.53

-18.10%

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

$2.59 A$3.60

$2.39 $2.39

8.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 A$3.33

$1.73 $1.73

38.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$9.92

$5.46 $5.46

30.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 A$10.02

$5.87 $5.87

22.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.03

$0.87 $0.87

67.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.63

$3.60 $3.60

-27.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.18

$4.32 $4.32

-46.99%

Eggs

$4.79 A$6.66

$3.91 $3.91

22.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 A$12.69

$9.70 $9.70

-5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 A$12.59

$10.36 $10.36

-12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 A$20.82

$17.92 $17.92

-16.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.54

$5.58 $5.58

-41.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$3.99

$1.65 $1.65

73.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.96

$4.97 $4.97

-42.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.48

$4.47 $4.47

-11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.65 $2.65

1.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.25

$2.64 $2.64

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.09

$2.01 $2.01

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.30

$1.75 $1.75

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.72 A$45.48

$9.24 $9.24

254.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 A$20.01

$14.90 $14.90

-3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 A$6.29

$2.23 $2.23

102.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 A$7.33

$3.82 $3.82

37.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.63 A$5.05

$1.73 $1.73

109.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$119 A$165

$55.5 $55.5

113.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 A$4.84

$2.49 $2.49

39.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 A$1.92

$1.59 $1.59

-13.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.42 A$38.12

$26.73 $26.73

2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.64

$0.81 $0.81

45.68%

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

$28.4K A$39.5K

$28.4K $28.4K

0.15%

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

$23.2K A$32.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

-2.45%

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

$149 A$207

$319 $319

-53.33%

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

$20.91 A$29.06

$55.2 $55.2

-62.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 A$71.2

$74.3 $74.3

-31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.92 A$68.0

$47.01 $47.01

4.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 A$22.29

$20.26 $20.26

-20.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.18 A$22.49

$12.77 $12.77

26.70%

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

$1,733 A$2,409

$904 $904

91.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K A$26.4K

$15.8K $15.8K

20.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$96.3

$46.47 $46.47

49.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 A$75.5

$38.81 $38.81

40.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$145

$109 $109

-4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 A$143

$108 $108

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 A$2,183

$983 $983

59.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 A$1,647

$777 $777

52.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 A$4,247

$1,901 $1,901

60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 A$2,704

$1,837 $1,837

5.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,396 A$10.3K

$1,530 $1,530

383.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,684 A$9,291

$1,508 $1,508

343.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,242 A$5,897

$3,477 $3,477

22.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.52

-5.06%

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

Last update for Melbourne: April 12, 2026

Last update for Wichita, KS: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,571 in Melbourne and $983 in Wichita, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 22% 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: $77 in Melbourne vs $55 in Wichita, KS. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $383, with Melbourne 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 Wichita, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Wichita, KS differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,453 vs $2,210 including rent). Wichita, KS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Melbourne pays 22% 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: $1,571 in Melbourne versus $983 in Wichita, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,733 in Melbourne versus $904 in Wichita, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,210 in Wichita, KS versus $2,453 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wichita, KS but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS 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.