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: $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,905 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,302 in Prince George versus $4,310 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,447 in Prince George versus $5,714 in Melbourne.

Living in Prince George costs roughly 26% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prince George 58% above, Melbourne 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 CA$25.28

$18.12 A$25.45

-0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 CA$99.8

$84.8 A$119

-15.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 CA$12.18

$12.11 A$17.00

-28.08%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.65

$4.12 A$5.79

-1.94%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$3.21 A$4.51

-30.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.36

$2.55 A$3.58

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$9.77 A$13.72

-39.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CA$10.18

$8.55 A$12.01

-14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.62 A$2.28

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$3.19 A$4.47

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.50

$2.85 A$4.00

63.16%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.04

$5.83 A$8.18

-25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 CA$11.92

$11.00 A$15.44

-22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.54

$10.03 A$14.08

39.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.33

$15.45 A$21.69

-5.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.84

$4.40 A$6.17

-5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$3.17 A$4.45

-12.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 CA$7.51

$3.28 A$4.61

63.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.27

$4.88 A$6.85

6.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$3.11 A$4.37

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$2.64 A$3.70

-16.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 CA$4.30

$2.49 A$3.50

23.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.68 A$2.36

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 CA$20.85

$45.87 A$64.4

-67.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.82

$12.66 A$17.78

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 CA$7.56

$5.61 A$7.88

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$3.89 A$5.46

-54.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.05 CA$60.2

$140 A$197

-69.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 CA$4.20

$4.65 A$6.53

-35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.41 A$1.98

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 CA$47.46

$30.65 A$43.04

10.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.38 A$1.94

-6.52%

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

$28.1K CA$39.3K

$28.9K A$40.6K

-2.90%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$27.2K A$38.2K

-27.08%

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

$174 CA$243

$238 A$334

-26.91%

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

$41.54 CA$58.1

$27.90 A$39.18

48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$84.3

$57.7 A$81.0

4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.82 CA$61.3

$55.0 A$77.2

-20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 CA$24.79

$22.31 A$31.33

-20.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 CA$12.92

$17.87 A$25.09

-48.29%

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

$421 CA$589

$2,450 A$3,440

-82.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.2

$81.3 A$114

-22.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 CA$54.9

$51.8 A$72.8

-24.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 CA$133

$120 A$168

-20.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$135 A$189

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,414

$1,766 A$2,479

-42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 CA$1,221

$1,430 A$2,008

-38.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CA$2,546

$3,441 A$4,832

-47.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,464

$2,562 A$3,598

-31.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,688

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,340

$4,352 A$6,111

-28.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

5.89

-15.79%

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

Last update for Prince George: September 12, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,011 in Prince George and $1,766 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 40% 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: $71.0 in Prince George vs $85.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $407 vs $400, 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 35% in total monthly costs ($2,157 vs $2,905 including rent). Prince George is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $1,011 in Prince George versus $1,766 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $421 in Prince George 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.

At $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,905 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 35% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.