Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,723 in Port Douglas versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,902 in Port Douglas versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,080 in Port Douglas versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Port Douglas costs roughly 6% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Douglas 98% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.89 A$25.02

$17.95 A$25.11

-0.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 A$142

$84.6 A$118

19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 A$18.01

$12.26 A$17.14

5.06%

Cappuccino

$4.35 A$6.08

$4.22 A$5.91

3.08%

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

$3.23 A$4.52

$3.16 A$4.42

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 A$3.97

$2.66 A$3.73

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 A$9.77

$9.98 A$13.97

-30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.70 A$12.17

$8.83 A$12.35

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.75

$1.65 A$2.31

19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 A$3.84

$3.40 A$4.76

-19.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.69

$2.79 A$3.90

-5.38%

Eggs

$5.27 A$7.38

$5.69 A$7.95

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 A$13.24

$11.30 A$15.81

-16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 A$19.98

$9.67 A$13.52

47.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.35 A$21.47

$15.78 A$22.07

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 A$5.73

$4.19 A$5.86

-2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.05

$3.02 A$4.22

-3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 A$5.08

$3.27 A$4.58

11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 A$8.20

$4.81 A$6.73

21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.52

$3.26 A$4.56

-22.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.57

$2.60 A$3.64

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 A$4.04

$2.51 A$3.52

15.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 A$3.58

$1.64 A$2.30

56.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.91 A$64.2

$46.11 A$64.5

-0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 A$19.64

$12.06 A$16.87

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.03

$5.48 A$7.66

-34.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 A$7.52

$5.15 A$7.20

4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 A$4.95

$3.83 A$5.35

-7.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 A$136

$144 A$202

-32.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 A$3.73

$4.31 A$6.03

-38.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 A$2.72

$1.47 A$2.06

31.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.96 A$61.5

$31.02 A$43.39

41.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 A$1.79

$1.46 A$2.04

-12.33%

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

$32.2K A$45.0K

$29.5K A$41.3K

8.90%

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

$42.7K A$59.8K

$27.7K A$38.8K

54.12%

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

$167 A$233

$242 A$339

-31.22%

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

$35.96 A$50.3

$28.20 A$39.44

27.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 A$94.9

$57.2 A$80.0

18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.74 A$69.6

$56.2 A$78.6

-11.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.41 A$27.15

$21.71 A$30.37

-10.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 A$19.68

$17.89 A$25.02

-21.35%

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

$2,165 A$3,029

$2,443 A$3,418

-11.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K A$20.2K

$33.0K A$46.2K

-56.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 A$129

$82.1 A$115

11.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 A$103

$50.4 A$70.5

45.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 A$179

$126 A$176

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$138 A$193

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 A$1,814

$1,774 A$2,481

-26.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 A$1,931

$1,427 A$1,997

-3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 A$3,528

$3,504 A$4,901

-28.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 A$2,567

$2,517 A$3,520

-27.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,043 A$9,852

$7,411 A$10.4K

-4.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,445 A$7,616

$6,718 A$9,397

-18.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 A$6,264

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

5.85

8.03%

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

Last update for Port Douglas: August 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Port Douglas and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Port Douglas vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 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

Port Douglas vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Douglas and Melbourne differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,723 vs $2,894 including rent). Port Douglas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,085 in Port Douglas and $4,341 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: $1,297 in Port Douglas versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,165 in Port Douglas 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 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Port Douglas 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, Port Douglas 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 Port Douglas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.