Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Gambier and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Gambier and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,342 in Mount Gambier versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,808 in Mount Gambier versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,275 in Mount Gambier versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Mount Gambier costs roughly 19% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mount Gambier 70% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.01 A$44.68

$17.95 A$25.05

78.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 A$169

$84.6 A$118

42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 A$15.69

$12.26 A$17.10

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$4.87 A$6.79

$4.22 A$5.90

15.40%

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

$3.06 A$4.27

$3.16 A$4.40

-3.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 A$3.73

$2.66 A$3.72

0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 A$6.92

$9.98 A$13.93

-50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 A$8.82

$8.83 A$12.32

-28.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 A$3.10

$1.65 A$2.30

34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 A$4.78

$3.40 A$4.75

0.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.23

$2.79 A$3.89

-17.20%

Eggs

$6.01 A$8.39

$5.69 A$7.94

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 A$13.09

$11.30 A$15.77

-16.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 A$12.39

$9.67 A$13.49

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.89 A$13.80

$15.78 A$22.02

-37.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 A$4.67

$4.19 A$5.85

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$3.02 A$4.21

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.58

$3.27 A$4.57

0.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 A$7.74

$4.81 A$6.72

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 A$4.49

$3.26 A$4.55

-1.53%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 A$5.64

$2.60 A$3.63

55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 A$3.86

$2.51 A$3.51

9.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 A$2.37

$1.64 A$2.29

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.92 A$44.54

$46.11 A$64.3

-30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.15 A$33.69

$12.06 A$16.83

100.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 A$6.92

$5.48 A$7.65

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 A$7.56

$5.15 A$7.19

5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 A$3.74

$3.83 A$5.34

-30.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 A$103

$144 A$202

-48.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 A$5.00

$4.31 A$6.02

-16.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 A$2.31

$1.47 A$2.05

12.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.39 A$63.3

$31.02 A$43.29

46.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.09

$1.46 A$2.04

2.74%

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

$28.3K A$39.5K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-4.25%

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

$31.3K A$43.6K

$27.7K A$38.7K

12.77%

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

$307 A$429

$242 A$338

26.82%

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

$47.08 A$65.7

$28.20 A$39.35

66.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 A$89.3

$57.2 A$79.8

11.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 A$72.0

$56.2 A$78.4

-8.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 A$25.41

$21.71 A$30.29

-16.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 A$16.25

$17.89 A$24.96

-34.88%

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

$2,243 A$3,131

$2,443 A$3,410

-8.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K A$27.4K

$33.0K A$46.1K

-40.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 A$127

$82.1 A$115

10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 A$69.6

$50.4 A$70.4

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 A$174

$126 A$176

-0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 A$161

$138 A$193

-16.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 A$1,115

$1,774 A$2,475

-54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 A$996

$1,427 A$1,992

-50.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 A$1,820

$3,504 A$4,889

-62.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 A$2,379

$2,517 A$3,512

-32.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,096 A$9,903

$7,411 A$10.3K

-4.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,928 A$8,272

$6,718 A$9,375

-11.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,620 A$3,657

$4,478 A$6,249

-41.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.85

13.33%

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

Last update for Mount Gambier: August 30, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $799 in Mount Gambier and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 71% 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: $121 in Mount Gambier vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $397 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

Mount Gambier vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Gambier and Melbourne differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,342 vs $2,894 including rent). Mount Gambier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 71% 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: $799 in Mount Gambier versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,243 in Mount Gambier 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 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,342 in Mount Gambier versus $2,894 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Gambier but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Gambier 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, Mount Gambier 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 Mount Gambier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.