Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Yangsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Yangsan: $1,534 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,821
/mo nomad
Yangsan
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,534
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Yangsan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Melbourne and in Yangsan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $1,534 in Yangsan.

  • Melbourne $2,821
  • Yangsan $1,534

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $2,428 in Yangsan.

  • Melbourne $4,235
  • Yangsan $2,428

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $3,323 in Yangsan.

  • Melbourne $5,650
  • Yangsan $3,323

Living in Melbourne is roughly 84% more expensive than in Yangsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 109% above, Yangsan 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.43 A$25.08
$7.45 ₩9,900
133.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 A$122
$49.24 ₩65.5K
71.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.46 A$17.92
$6.53 ₩8,678
90.81%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.91
$3.73 ₩4,962
10.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 A$4.40
$1.86 ₩2,468
64.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 A$3.62
$1.43 ₩1,904
76.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.80 A$14.10
$3.63 ₩4,825
169.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.57 A$12.33
$4.20 ₩5,582
104.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.14
$2.23 ₩2,967
-33.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.23
$3.15 ₩4,182
-6.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 A$3.82
$3.08 ₩4,099
-13.64%
Eggs
$5.54 A$7.97
$2.63 ₩3,493
110.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 A$15.13
$11.02 ₩14.7K
-4.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.65 A$13.89
$10.63 ₩14.1K
-9.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.22 A$21.91
$24.91 ₩33.1K
-38.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 A$5.75
$11.00 ₩14.6K
-63.73%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.34
$3.54 ₩4,703
-14.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 A$4.46
$8.15 ₩10.8K
-61.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 A$6.93
$5.88 ₩7,822
-18.03%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.36
$6.01 ₩7,987
-49.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 A$3.52
$3.35 ₩4,452
-27.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 A$3.54
$2.85 ₩3,784
-13.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.34
$1.28 ₩1,707
27.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.07 A$63.4
$3.32 ₩4,409
1227.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 A$18.28
$18.32 ₩24.4K
-30.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 A$7.97
$2.39 ₩3,174
131.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.52
$3.36 ₩4,472
55.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 A$5.38
$1.14 ₩1,516
228.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$198
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 A$6.50
$3.60 ₩4,784
25.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 A$1.96
$0.78 ₩1,042
74.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 A$43.81
$16.88 ₩22.4K
80.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.12
$1.41 ₩1,880
4.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.7K
$29.2K ₩38.8M
-0.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K A$38.1K
$33.0K ₩43.8M
-19.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 A$336
$200 ₩265.4K
17.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.93 A$40.19
$35.82 ₩47.6K
-22.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 A$80.2
$27.15 ₩36.1K
105.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.40 A$71.1
$51.3 ₩68.2K
-3.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.48 A$30.91
$11.73 ₩15.6K
83.12%
Cinema Ticket
$15.09 A$21.72
$11.70 ₩15.6K
28.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,371 A$3,412
$633 ₩842.0K
274.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.2K A$43.5K
$21.6K ₩28.7M
39.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.0 A$115
$103 ₩136.5K
-22.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 A$73.0
$64.1 ₩85.2K
-20.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$174
$94.3 ₩125.4K
27.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 A$188
$124 ₩165.5K
4.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,759 A$2,531
$488 ₩648.5K
260.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 A$2,000
$364 ₩484.6K
281.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,494 A$5,027
$1,170 ₩1.6M
198.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,493 A$3,588
$753 ₩1.0M
230.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,926 A$9,967
$6,989 ₩9.3M
-0.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,445 A$9,274
$5,593 ₩7.4M
15.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Yangsan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,383 A$6,307
$1,664 ₩2.2M
163.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
4.22
39.81%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Yangsan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Yangsan
$364 73.8% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$384
Yangsan
$483 25.7% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$317
Yangsan
$263 17.2% $55
Eating Out
Melbourne
$315
Yangsan
$164 48% $151
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$172
Yangsan
$173 1% $1.7
Getting Around
Melbourne
$164
Yangsan
$12 * 92.6% $152
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$80
Yangsan
$75 6.2% $4.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in Melbourne and $488 in Yangsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 163% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $49.00 in Yangsan. Groceries flip the comparison at $384 vs $483, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇰🇷 Yangsan
🕒 Local time
06:22 6:22 AM
04:22 4:22 AM
2 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
335,474
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Yangsan 8,300 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Yangsan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yangsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Melbourne and in Yangsan?
Melbourne and Yangsan differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($2,821 vs $1,534 including rent). Yangsan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Melbourne or Yangsan?
Average pay runs 163% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Melbourne and in Yangsan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,759 in Melbourne versus $488 in Yangsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Melbourne or Yangsan?
All in, you'll spend $2,821 per month in Melbourne versus $1,534 in Yangsan – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,534 in Yangsan versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yangsan but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Yangsan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Melbourne and Yangsan?
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.
Is Melbourne or Yangsan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Melbourne and Yangsan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Melbourne or Yangsan?
Expats usually find Yangsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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