Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowra NSW and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Nowra NSW and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,585 in Nowra NSW versus $2,905 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,770 in Nowra NSW versus $4,310 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,954 in Nowra NSW versus $5,714 in Melbourne.

Living in Nowra NSW costs roughly 11% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nowra NSW 89% above, Melbourne 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.84 A$27.84

$18.12 A$25.42

9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 A$132

$84.8 A$119

11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 A$14.79

$12.11 A$16.99

-12.96%

Cappuccino

$4.21 A$5.91

$4.12 A$5.78

2.18%

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

$3.11 A$4.36

$3.21 A$4.51

-3.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 A$3.86

$2.55 A$3.58

7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.41 A$11.80

$9.77 A$13.70

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 A$13.83

$8.55 A$12.00

15.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.83

$1.62 A$2.28

-19.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 A$4.25

$3.19 A$4.47

-5.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 A$3.81

$2.85 A$3.99

-4.91%

Eggs

$5.57 A$7.82

$5.83 A$8.17

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 A$17.05

$11.00 A$15.43

10.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 A$15.05

$10.03 A$14.07

6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.42 A$23.03

$15.45 A$21.67

6.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 A$5.86

$4.40 A$6.17

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.31 A$4.65

$3.17 A$4.45

4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 A$4.99

$3.28 A$4.60

8.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 A$7.43

$4.88 A$6.84

8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.58

$3.11 A$4.36

5.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.88

$2.64 A$3.70

4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 A$3.94

$2.49 A$3.50

12.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 A$2.10

$1.68 A$2.36

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.34 A$65.0

$45.87 A$64.4

1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.77

$12.66 A$17.76

16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.84 A$6.79

$5.61 A$7.88

-13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 A$7.98

$5.29 A$7.43

7.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 A$4.29

$3.89 A$5.46

-21.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.4 A$121

$140 A$197

-38.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 A$5.92

$4.65 A$6.52

-9.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.27

$1.41 A$1.98

14.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.58 A$62.5

$30.65 A$43.00

45.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.38 A$1.94

-7.25%

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

$27.1K A$38.0K

$28.9K A$40.6K

-6.42%

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

$30.6K A$43.0K

$27.2K A$38.2K

12.61%

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

$187 A$263

$238 A$334

-21.26%

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

$28.34 A$39.76

$27.90 A$39.15

1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 A$79.5

$57.7 A$80.9

-1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 A$71.4

$55.0 A$77.2

-7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.65 A$23.36

$22.31 A$31.30

-25.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 A$23.24

$17.87 A$25.07

-7.27%

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

$2,385 A$3,346

$2,450 A$3,437

-2.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K A$29.7K

$32.1K A$45.0K

-34.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 A$109

$81.3 A$114

-3.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 A$79.7

$51.8 A$72.7

9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 A$172

$120 A$168

2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$192

$135 A$189

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 A$1,923

$1,766 A$2,477

-22.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 A$1,977

$1,430 A$2,006

-1.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 A$3,502

$3,441 A$4,828

-27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 A$2,661

$2,562 A$3,594

-25.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,491 A$7,703

$7,336 A$10.3K

-25.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,615 A$7,877

$6,900 A$9,679

-18.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,106

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.89

1.02%

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

Last update for Nowra NSW: September 13, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,371 in Nowra NSW and $1,766 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94.0 in Nowra NSW vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $400 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

Nowra NSW vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nowra NSW and Melbourne differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,585 vs $2,905 including rent). Nowra NSW is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,877 in Nowra NSW and $4,358 in Melbourne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,371 in Nowra NSW versus $1,766 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,385 in Nowra NSW versus $2,450 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Nowra NSW 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, Nowra NSW 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 Nowra NSW gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.