Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Yokosuka

For one person, living is cheaper in Yokosuka: $1,193 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,821
/mo nomad
Yokosuka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,193
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Yokosuka

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 Yokosuka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $1,193 in Yokosuka.

  • Melbourne $2,821
  • Yokosuka $1,193

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $2,146 in Yokosuka.

  • Melbourne $4,235
  • Yokosuka $2,146

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $3,099 in Yokosuka.

  • Melbourne $5,650
  • Yokosuka $3,099

Living in Melbourne is roughly 136% more expensive than in Yokosuka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Melbourne is 109% above, Yokosuka is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.43 A$25.08
$6.24 ¥987
179.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 A$122
$31.79 ¥5,023
165.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.46 A$17.92
$5.05 ¥798
146.73%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.91
$2.81 ¥445
46.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 A$4.40
$1.28 ¥203
139.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 A$3.62
$0.87 ¥137
189.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.80 A$14.10
$2.54 ¥402
285.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.57 A$12.33
$3.19 ¥504
168.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 A$2.14
$1.45 ¥229
2.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 A$4.23
$1.55 ¥245
89.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.66 A$3.82
$4.19 ¥663
-36.52%
Eggs
$5.54 A$7.97
$1.98 ¥312
179.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 A$15.13
$10.29 ¥1,626
2.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.65 A$13.89
$6.20 ¥980
55.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.22 A$21.91
$17.37 ¥2,745
-12.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 A$5.75
$5.68 ¥897
-29.75%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.34
$2.79 ¥441
8.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 A$4.46
$3.17 ¥501
-2.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 A$6.93
$4.21 ¥665
14.49%
Potato (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.36
$2.54 ¥401
19.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 A$3.52
$2.53 ¥400
-3.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 A$3.54
$1.25 ¥197
96.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 A$2.34
$0.87 ¥137
87.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$44.07 A$63.4
$3.71 ¥586
1087.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 A$18.28
$6.34 ¥1,001
100.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 A$7.97
$2.45 ¥388
126.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.52
$2.01 ¥317
160.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.74 A$5.38
$2.25 ¥355
66.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$138 A$198
$62.3 ¥9,849
120.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 A$6.50
$3.07 ¥485
46.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 A$1.96
$2.79 ¥441
-51.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 A$43.81
$15.84 ¥2,502
92.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.12
$1.06 ¥167
38.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.7K
$21.2K ¥3.3M
36.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K A$38.1K
$14.9K ¥2.4M
77.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 A$336
$132 ¥20.9K
76.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.93 A$40.19
$24.18 ¥3,820
15.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 A$80.2
$31.00 ¥4,897
79.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.40 A$71.1
$43.60 ¥6,888
13.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.48 A$30.91
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.09 A$21.72
$11.48 ¥1,813
31.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,371 A$3,412
$575 ¥90.8K
312.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.2K A$43.5K
$14.8K ¥2.3M
103.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.0 A$115
$49.42 ¥7,807
61.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 A$73.0
$35.20 ¥5,561
44.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 A$174
$59.6 ¥9,408
102.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 A$188
$96.6 ¥15.3K
35.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,759 A$2,531
$539 ¥85.2K
226.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 A$2,000
$311 ¥49.2K
346.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,494 A$5,027
$958 ¥151.3K
264.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,493 A$3,588
$1,207 ¥190.7K
106.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,926 A$9,967
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,445 A$9,274
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne
Yokosuka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,383 A$6,307
$3,026 ¥478.0K
44.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
2.23
164.57%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Yokosuka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne
$1.4K
Yokosuka
$311 77.6% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne
$384
Yokosuka
$305 20.7% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne
$317
Yokosuka
$188 40.9% $130
Eating Out
Melbourne
$315
Yokosuka
$127 59.8% $188
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne
$172
Yokosuka
$108 36.9% $63
Getting Around
Melbourne
$164
Yokosuka
$88 46.1% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne
$80
Yokosuka
$67 16.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in Melbourne and $539 in Yokosuka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 45% 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 $32.00 in Yokosuka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $305 per month, with Yokosuka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🇯🇵 Yokosuka
🕒 Local time
13:52 1:52 PM
11:52 11:52 AM
2 h behind Melbourne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,031,195
388,078
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne Yokosuka 8,150 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne
  • Yokosuka

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 Yokosuka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Melbourne and in Yokosuka?
Melbourne and Yokosuka differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($2,821 vs $1,193 including rent). Yokosuka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Melbourne or Yokosuka?
Average pay runs 45% 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 Yokosuka?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,759 in Melbourne versus $539 in Yokosuka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Melbourne and Yokosuka?
Childcare runs $2,371 in Melbourne versus $575 in Yokosuka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,193 in Yokosuka versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yokosuka but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Yokosuka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Melbourne and Yokosuka?
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 Yokosuka safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Melbourne and Yokosuka 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 Yokosuka?
Expats usually find Yokosuka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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