Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wollongong Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Wollongong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,910 in Melbourne versus $2,125 in Wollongong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Melbourne versus $3,347 in Wollongong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,905 in Melbourne versus $4,569 in Wollongong.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 37% more expensive than in Wollongong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 111% above, Wollongong 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.41 A$25.73

$18.01 A$25.17

2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 A$121

$86.0 A$120

0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.42

$10.88 A$15.21

14.52%

Cappuccino

$4.17 A$5.83

$3.68 A$5.15

13.32%

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

$3.15 A$4.41

$3.20 A$4.47

-1.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.36 A$3.30

12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 A$14.05

$7.38 A$10.32

36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 A$11.89

$7.03 A$9.82

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 A$2.26

$1.23 A$1.72

30.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 A$4.60

$3.03 A$4.24

8.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.22

$2.25 A$3.15

34.22%

Eggs

$6.00 A$8.39

$4.20 A$5.87

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 A$15.46

$10.92 A$15.26

1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 A$13.86

$9.71 A$13.57

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.18

$16.14 A$22.56

-1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 A$6.17

$3.03 A$4.23

45.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.50

$2.55 A$3.57

26.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.82

$3.48 A$4.86

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 A$6.86

$4.78 A$6.68

2.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 A$4.38

$2.36 A$3.30

33.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.72

$2.69 A$3.77

-1.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 A$3.52

$2.71 A$3.79

-7.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.36

$1.46 A$2.05

15.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.21 A$64.6

$46.82 A$65.5

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 A$17.59

$14.40 A$20.13

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 A$7.56

$4.54 A$6.35

19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.45

$4.90 A$6.85

8.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 A$5.64

$2.11 A$2.96

91.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 A$6.58

$4.14 A$5.79

13.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.97

$1.62 A$2.26

-12.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.32 A$43.78

$44.47 A$62.2

-29.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 A$2.00

$1.29 A$1.81

10.85%

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

$29.5K A$41.2K

$28.1K A$39.3K

4.77%

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

$27.0K A$37.7K

$25.2K A$35.2K

7.02%

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

$239 A$334

$188 A$262

27.54%

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

$28.19 A$39.41

$27.70 A$38.71

1.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 A$80.1

$51.9 A$72.5

10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$78.1

$84.2 A$118

-33.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 A$31.76

$14.16 A$19.79

60.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 A$25.00

$13.56 A$18.95

31.93%

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

$2,456 A$3,433

$2,289 A$3,200

7.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K A$44.1K

$21.3K A$29.7K

48.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 A$115

$72.8 A$102

13.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 A$72.8

$58.3 A$81.5

-10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$168

$126 A$176

-4.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$111 A$156

22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 A$2,484

$1,024 A$1,431

73.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 A$2,037

$887 A$1,240

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 A$4,978

$2,054 A$2,871

73.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,568 A$3,590

$1,700 A$2,376

51.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,269 A$10.2K

$4,632 A$6,474

56.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,897 A$9,640

$3,771 A$5,270

82.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,459 A$6,233

$4,584 A$6,407

-2.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.23

11.66%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Wollongong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Melbourne and $1,024 in Wollongong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wollongong pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Melbourne vs $86.0 in Wollongong. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $369, with Wollongong 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 Wollongong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Wollongong differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($2,910 vs $2,125 including rent). Wollongong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Wollongong. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,777 in Melbourne versus $1,024 in Wollongong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,910 per month in Melbourne versus $2,125 in Wollongong – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,125 in Wollongong versus $2,910 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wollongong but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Wollongong 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 Wollongong 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 Wollongong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.