Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Yamba NSW Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Yamba NSW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,191 in Yamba NSW.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,166 in Yamba NSW.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $4,141 in Yamba NSW.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 10% more expensive than Yamba NSW, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Yamba NSW 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$27.52

$16.37 A$22.81

20.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$110

$50.2 A$69.9

56.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.52

$9.96 A$13.88

-2.61%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.11

$3.62 A$5.05

1.10%

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

$2.60 A$3.63

$2.53 A$3.52

2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.96 A$2.73

19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.00

$6.68 A$9.31

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.73

$6.89 A$9.60

1.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.55 A$2.15

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.71

$2.31 A$3.22

15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.26

$1.82 A$2.53

28.57%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.69

$4.37 A$6.09

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.21

$8.17 A$11.38

7.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.15

$8.21 A$11.44

14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.09

$13.62 A$18.98

5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.64

$3.27 A$4.56

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.89 A$4.03

-4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.18

$2.63 A$3.67

14.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.50

$4.31 A$6.01

-8.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$2.47 A$3.44

8.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.28

$2.35 A$3.28

0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$2.98

$2.18 A$3.04

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.25 A$1.74

30.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$45.21

$32.68 A$45.54

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.66

$12.87 A$17.94

9.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.47

$4.54 A$6.33

2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.02

$4.14 A$5.76

21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.87

$2.58 A$3.60

35.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$167

$65.8 A$91.6

82.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

$2.23 A$3.11

56.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.87

$1.58 A$2.20

-14.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$37.55

$33.23 A$46.30

-18.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.22 A$1.71

-2.46%

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

$29.4K A$41.0K

$29.2K A$40.8K

0.61%

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

$23.6K A$32.9K

$22.7K A$31.6K

4.08%

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

$150 A$209

$148 A$206

1.45%

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

$21.16 A$29.49

$25.95 A$36.16

-18.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$70.1

$53.0 A$73.9

-5.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$68.5

$48.07 A$67.0

2.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.82

$15.83 A$22.05

3.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$22.90

$13.07 A$18.21

25.71%

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

$1,764 A$2,458

$1,595 A$2,223

10.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$26.7K

$8,711 A$12.1K

120.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$95.2

$71.6 A$99.8

-4.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$74.3

$42.93 A$59.8

24.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$148

$92.1 A$128

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$146

$101 A$140

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,191

$1,272 A$1,772

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,665

$1,054 A$1,469

13.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,247

$2,051 A$2,858

48.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,772

$1,707 A$2,379

16.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.3K

$6,106 A$8,508

20.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,095

$5,140 A$7,163

26.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,288

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.24

-0.80%

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

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yamba NSW: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,272 in Yamba NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $50.0 in Yamba NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $328 per month, with Yamba NSW 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 Yamba NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Yamba NSW differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,416 vs $2,191 including rent). Yamba NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,624 in Melbourne and $3,287 in Yamba NSW 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: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,272 in Yamba NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,764 in Melbourne versus $1,595 in Yamba NSW. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,191 in Yamba NSW versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Yamba NSW but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Yamba NSW 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 Yamba NSW 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 Yamba NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.