Cost of Living Comparison Between Modesto, CA and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Modesto, CA and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,650 in Modesto, CA versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,106 in Modesto, CA versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,561 in Modesto, CA versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Modesto, CA is roughly 10% more expensive than Melbourne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Modesto, CA 98% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.10 $15.10

$19.75 A$27.52

-23.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$78.7 A$110

2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.70 A$13.52

-8.87%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.66 A$5.11

54.64%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$2.60 A$3.63

3.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.34 A$3.26

-29.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$7.17 A$10.00

-29.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$6.99 A$9.73

3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.45 A$2.02

-22.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.66 A$3.71

35.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.34 A$3.26

34.62%

Eggs

$4.99 $4.99

$4.80 A$6.69

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$8.77 A$12.21

46.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.62 $14.62

$9.44 A$13.15

54.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.50 $19.50

$14.42 A$20.09

35.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$3.33 A$4.64

88.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.77 A$3.87

-9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.00 A$4.18

65.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.95 A$5.50

65.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.68 A$3.73

33.21%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.36 A$3.28

80.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.14 A$2.98

41.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.63 A$2.27

72.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$32.44 A$45.21

-68.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$14.11 A$19.66

8.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$4.64 A$6.47

-58.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.04 A$7.02

-32.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.49 A$4.87

-41.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.22 $40.22

$120 A$167

-66.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.50 A$4.88

1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.35 A$1.87

54.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$26.94 A$37.55

12.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.19 A$1.66

5.04%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-7.08%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.6K A$32.9K

13.03%

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

$287 $287

$150 A$209

91.71%

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

$49.26 $49.26

$21.16 A$29.49

132.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 $63.0

$50.3 A$70.1

25.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 $41.92

$49.14 A$68.5

-14.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.95 $14.95

$16.37 A$22.82

-8.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 $11.07

$16.43 A$22.90

-32.62%

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

$1,952 $1,952

$1,764 A$2,458

10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$19.2K A$26.7K

34.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.56 $47.56

$68.3 A$95.2

-30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 $39.84

$53.3 A$74.3

-25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$106 A$148

-16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$105 A$146

23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 $1,429

$1,572 A$2,191

-9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 $1,261

$1,195 A$1,665

5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$3,048 A$4,247

-20.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 $2,401

$1,990 A$2,772

20.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 $3,192

$7,387 A$10.3K

-56.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,184 $3,184

$6,527 A$9,095

-51.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,035 $4,035

$4,512 A$6,288

-10.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.19

5.17%

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

Last update for Modesto, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,429 in Modesto, CA and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Modesto, CA vs $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $461 vs $354 per month, with Melbourne 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

Modesto, CA vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Modesto, CA and Melbourne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,650 vs $2,416 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Melbourne earns 12% less. 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: $1,429 in Modesto, CA versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,952 in Modesto, CA versus $1,764 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Modesto, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Melbourne 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, Modesto, CA 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 Melbourne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Modesto, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.