Cost of Living Comparison Between Pembroke Pines, FL and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Pembroke Pines, FL and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,285 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $2,457 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,606 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $3,683 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,927 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $4,908 in Melbourne.

Living in Pembroke Pines, FL is roughly 34% more expensive than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pembroke Pines, FL 146% above, Melbourne 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.80 $20.80

$19.60 A$28.04

6.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.8 $90.8

$76.5 A$109

18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.05 A$14.37

0.50%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.75 A$5.37

35.47%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.59 A$3.71

3.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.37 A$3.38

-20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$7.23 A$10.34

-19.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 $6.32

$7.07 A$10.12

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.44 A$2.06

-28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.55 A$3.64

12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.32 A$3.32

43.97%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$4.71 A$6.73

-16.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.75 $11.75

$9.00 A$12.87

30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 $14.09

$9.29 A$13.28

51.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.73 $17.73

$14.80 A$21.16

19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.15 A$4.51

47.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.79 A$3.99

-38.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.89 A$4.13

47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$4.00 A$5.72

35.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.72 A$3.89

28.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.33 A$3.34

49.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.21 A$3.16

3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.58 A$2.26

31.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.40 $8.40

$33.05 A$47.27

-74.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.00 $13.00

$14.07 A$20.12

-7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$4.66 A$6.67

-63.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$5.01 A$7.16

-45.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.56 A$5.10

-44.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.78 $44.78

$118 A$168

-61.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.56 A$5.10

-29.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.34 A$1.92

18.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.73 $21.73

$26.80 A$38.33

-18.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.18 A$1.69

-25.42%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$28.8K A$41.1K

-9.45%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$23.2K A$33.1K

4.72%

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

$172 $172

$149 A$213

15.77%

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

$45.82 $45.82

$20.73 A$29.65

121.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$50.7 A$72.5

36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.20 $42.20

$49.33 A$70.6

-14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.94 A$22.79

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$16.13 A$23.06

-6.51%

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

$802 $802

$1,768 A$2,528

-54.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$19.6K A$28.0K

-18.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.99 $46.99

$68.8 A$98.3

-31.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.61 $44.61

$52.5 A$75.1

-15.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$107 A$153

-13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$105 A$150

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 $2,275

$1,529 A$2,186

48.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 $1,993

$1,206 A$1,725

65.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,119 $3,119

$2,966 A$4,241

5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,951 $2,951

$2,007 A$2,871

47.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$7,307 A$10.5K

-67.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,492 $3,492

$6,305 A$9,018

-44.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,463 $4,463

$4,494 A$6,427

-0.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.19

5.49%

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

Last update for Pembroke Pines, FL: July 22, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,275 in Pembroke Pines, FL and $1,529 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in Pembroke Pines, FL vs $76.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $352 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

Pembroke Pines, FL vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pembroke Pines, FL and Melbourne differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($3,285 vs $2,457 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $2,275 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $1,529 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $802 in Pembroke Pines, FL versus $1,768 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Pembroke Pines, FL. 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, Pembroke Pines, FL 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 34% less than in Pembroke Pines, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.