Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince George and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,228 in Prince George versus $2,435 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,349 in Prince George versus $3,676 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,470 in Prince George versus $4,918 in Melbourne.

Living in Prince George costs roughly 9% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prince George 67% above, Melbourne 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 CA$25.35

$19.49 A$27.65

-7.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$102

$77.7 A$110

-6.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 CA$12.19

$9.84 A$13.96

-11.59%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.43

$3.69 A$5.23

4.88%

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

$2.26 CA$3.17

$2.54 A$3.60

-11.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$2.34 A$3.33

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.37

$7.36 A$10.45

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 CA$11.84

$7.10 A$10.07

19.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$1.50 A$2.13

34.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$2.58 A$3.65

-9.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 CA$6.76

$2.34 A$3.32

105.98%

Eggs

$5.12 CA$7.18

$4.73 A$6.71

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 CA$9.33

$9.05 A$12.83

-26.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.12 CA$18.39

$9.12 A$12.94

43.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.55 CA$23.19

$14.55 A$20.65

13.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.80

$3.27 A$4.63

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$2.81 A$3.98

3.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.31

$2.90 A$4.12

80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 CA$7.24

$4.03 A$5.72

28.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.75 A$3.91

12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$2.34 A$3.33

27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 CA$4.50

$2.12 A$3.01

51.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$1.66 A$2.35

72.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 CA$20.86

$33.11 A$46.98

-55.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 CA$15.12

$13.72 A$19.47

-21.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.55 CA$7.78

$4.71 A$6.68

17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.05

$5.03 A$7.14

-42.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$3.55 A$5.04

-23.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.38 CA$62.2

$121 A$172

-63.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 CA$5.83

$3.62 A$5.13

14.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.34 A$1.90

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.56 CA$35.82

$26.98 A$38.29

-5.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.18 A$1.67

6.78%

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

$25.5K CA$35.7K

$29.1K A$41.3K

-12.49%

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

$22.0K CA$30.8K

$23.0K A$32.6K

-4.39%

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

$178 CA$249

$151 A$214

17.75%

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

$49.97 CA$70.0

$21.41 A$30.38

133.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$86.1

$51.4 A$72.9

19.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.07 CA$63.2

$49.75 A$70.6

-9.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 CA$25.60

$16.05 A$22.77

13.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 CA$13.27

$16.36 A$23.21

-42.11%

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

$609 CA$854

$1,733 A$2,459

-64.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$19.0K A$26.9K

-36.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$69.3 A$98.3

-9.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.17 CA$56.3

$54.0 A$76.5

-25.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 CA$137

$107 A$151

-8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CA$220

$104 A$147

51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 CA$1,369

$1,541 A$2,187

-36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 CA$1,280

$1,193 A$1,693

-23.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 CA$2,425

$2,997 A$4,252

-42.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,283

$1,998 A$2,834

-18.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,244 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,339 A$8,995

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,017 CA$4,227

$4,354 A$6,178

-30.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

6.19

2.10%

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

Last update for Prince George: July 26, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Prince George and $1,541 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 44% 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: $73.0 in Prince George vs $78.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $421 vs $353, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

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

Prince George vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Prince George and Melbourne differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,228 vs $2,435 including rent). Prince George is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $977 in Prince George versus $1,541 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $609 in Prince George versus $1,733 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,228 in Prince George versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Prince George but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Prince George 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, Prince George 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 Prince George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.