Cost of Living Comparison Between Milwaukee, WI and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Milwaukee, WI and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,503 in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,685 in Milwaukee, WI versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,867 in Milwaukee, WI versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Milwaukee, WI costs roughly 14% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milwaukee, WI 82% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$17.95 A$24.92

12.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$84.6 A$117

-18.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 $10.04

$12.26 A$17.01

-18.11%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$4.22 A$5.86

23.22%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$3.16 A$4.38

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.66 A$3.70

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$9.98 A$13.86

-38.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 $7.56

$8.83 A$12.26

-14.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.65 A$2.29

-49.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.40 A$4.73

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.79 A$3.87

91.76%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$5.69 A$7.89

-21.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 $10.01

$11.30 A$15.69

-11.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 $13.71

$9.67 A$13.42

41.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 $16.86

$15.78 A$21.90

6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.19 A$5.82

24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$3.02 A$4.19

-51.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$3.27 A$4.55

42.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$4.81 A$6.68

9.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.26 A$4.52

-20.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.60 A$3.61

1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.51 A$3.49

-7.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.64 A$2.28

41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.62 $10.62

$46.11 A$64.0

-76.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 $15.86

$12.06 A$16.75

31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$5.48 A$7.61

-63.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$5.15 A$7.15

-29.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$3.83 A$5.31

-45.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 $70.7

$144 A$201

-51.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.31 A$5.98

-35.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.47 A$2.04

6.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.23 $21.23

$31.02 A$43.06

-31.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.46 A$2.03

-33.56%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$29.5K A$41.0K

22.17%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.7K A$38.5K

-7.79%

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

$199 $199

$242 A$336

-18.04%

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

$68.5 $68.5

$28.20 A$39.15

142.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 $72.1

$57.2 A$79.4

26.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.91 $38.91

$56.2 A$78.0

-30.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.24 $18.24

$21.71 A$30.14

-15.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.43 $14.43

$17.89 A$24.83

-19.34%

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

$1,829 $1,829

$2,443 A$3,392

-25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$33.0K A$45.8K

-25.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$82.1 A$114

-34.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.48 $44.48

$50.4 A$70.0

-11.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$126 A$175

-26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$138 A$192

-16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,774 A$2,462

-0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 $1,147

$1,427 A$1,981

-19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,792 $2,792

$3,504 A$4,864

-20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$2,517 A$3,494

-27.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 $2,807

$7,411 A$10.3K

-62.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 $1,664

$6,718 A$9,326

-75.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,705 $3,705

$4,478 A$6,216

-17.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

5.85

4.62%

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

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: August 29, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Milwaukee, WI and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 21% 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: $69.0 in Milwaukee, WI vs $85.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $397, 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

Milwaukee, WI vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milwaukee, WI and Melbourne differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,503 vs $2,894 including rent). Milwaukee, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Melbourne. 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: $1,765 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,829 in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,443 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Milwaukee, WI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Milwaukee, WI and Melbourne 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 Milwaukee, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.