Cost of Living Comparison Between Redondo Beach, CA and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Redondo Beach, CA and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,315 in Redondo Beach, CA versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,232 in Redondo Beach, CA versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,148 in Redondo Beach, CA versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Redondo Beach, CA is roughly 49% more expensive than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redondo Beach, CA 214% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$17.95 A$25.05

40.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$84.6 A$118

-6.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.09 $15.09

$12.26 A$17.10

23.08%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$4.22 A$5.90

25.12%

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

$3.34 $3.34

$3.16 A$4.40

5.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.66 A$3.72

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$9.98 A$13.93

-18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.83 A$12.32

-22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.65 A$2.30

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.40 A$4.75

25.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.79 A$3.89

73.12%

Eggs

$6.81 $6.81

$5.69 A$7.94

19.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.42 $15.42

$11.30 A$15.77

36.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$9.67 A$13.49

35.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 $18.73

$15.78 A$22.02

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.19 A$5.85

11.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.02 A$4.21

-41.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.27 A$4.57

38.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$4.81 A$6.72

8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.26 A$4.55

3.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.60 A$3.63

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.51 A$3.51

-17.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.64 A$2.29

33.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$46.11 A$64.3

-79.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$12.06 A$16.83

25.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$5.48 A$7.65

-59.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.15 A$7.19

-36.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$3.83 A$5.34

-74.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 A$202

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$4.31 A$6.02

-31.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.47 A$2.05

44.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.32 $28.32

$31.02 A$43.29

-8.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.46 A$2.04

-7.53%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$29.5K A$41.2K

25.68%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.7K A$38.7K

-7.22%

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

$202 $202

$242 A$338

-16.71%

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

$63.2 $63.2

$28.20 A$39.35

124.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 $55.4

$57.2 A$79.8

-3.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.9 $95.9

$56.2 A$78.4

70.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 A$30.29

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 $11.81

$17.89 A$24.96

-33.99%

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

$1,972 $1,972

$2,443 A$3,410

-19.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K $36.5K

$33.0K A$46.1K

10.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 $70.6

$82.1 A$115

-13.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$50.4 A$70.4

12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$126 A$176

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 $98.5

$138 A$193

-28.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 $3,138

$1,774 A$2,475

76.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,923 $2,923

$1,427 A$1,992

104.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,110 $6,110

$3,504 A$4,889

74.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,098 $5,098

$2,517 A$3,512

102.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,623 $7,623

$7,411 A$10.3K

2.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,446 $6,446

$6,718 A$9,375

-4.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,770 $7,770

$4,478 A$6,249

73.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

5.85

8.55%

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

Last update for Redondo Beach, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,138 in Redondo Beach, CA and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redondo Beach, CA pays 74% 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: $79.0 in Redondo Beach, CA vs $85.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $444 vs $397, 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

Redondo Beach, CA vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Redondo Beach, CA and Melbourne differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($4,315 vs $2,894 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 74% higher in Redondo Beach, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,138 in Redondo Beach, CA versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Redondo Beach, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,315 per month in Redondo Beach, CA versus $2,894 in Melbourne – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Redondo Beach, CA 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 49% less than in Redondo Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.