Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Romsey and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Romsey: $2,694 a month against $2,849 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Romsey, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Romsey
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,694
/mo nomad
Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,849
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Romsey and in Melbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Romsey and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,694 in Romsey versus $2,849 in Melbourne.

  • Romsey $2,694
  • Melbourne $2,849

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,837 in Romsey versus $4,274 in Melbourne.

  • Romsey $3,837
  • Melbourne $4,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,980 in Romsey versus $5,699 in Melbourne.

  • Romsey $4,980
  • Melbourne $5,699

Living in Romsey costs roughly 5% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Romsey 98% above, Melbourne 109% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.31 A$24.52
$17.50 A$24.79
-1.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.8 A$120
$84.3 A$119
0.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 A$17.45
$12.17 A$17.24
1.23%
Cappuccino
$3.96 A$5.62
$4.07 A$5.77
-2.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 A$4.46
$3.18 A$4.50
-0.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 A$3.47
$2.50 A$3.54
-2.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.96 A$14.12
$9.57 A$13.56
4.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.29 A$11.75
$8.25 A$11.69
0.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 A$2.13
$1.50 A$2.13
0.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.00 A$4.26
$2.97 A$4.21
1.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 A$3.65
$2.68 A$3.80
-3.73%
Eggs
$5.67 A$8.03
$5.45 A$7.73
4.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.44 A$14.78
$10.71 A$15.18
-2.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.68 A$13.72
$10.05 A$14.24
-3.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.27 A$21.63
$15.00 A$21.25
1.80%
Apples (1kg)
$4.02 A$5.70
$4.07 A$5.76
-1.23%
Banana (1kg)
$3.03 A$4.30
$3.14 A$4.44
-3.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 A$4.57
$3.12 A$4.42
3.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.68 A$6.63
$4.73 A$6.70
-1.06%
Potato (1kg)
$3.11 A$4.40
$2.98 A$4.22
4.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.60 A$3.68
$2.49 A$3.53
4.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.51 A$3.56
$2.48 A$3.52
1.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 A$2.34
$1.60 A$2.27
3.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$45.54 A$64.5
$44.65 A$63.3
1.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.43 A$17.61
$12.68 A$17.96
-1.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.54 A$7.85
$5.55 A$7.86
-0.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.30 A$7.51
$5.18 A$7.35
2.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 A$4.13
$3.84 A$5.44
-23.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$92.0 A$130
$139 A$196
-33.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.47 A$6.33
$4.36 A$6.17
2.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 A$2.01
$1.37 A$1.94
3.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.19 A$42.77
$29.72 A$42.11
1.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 A$2.05
$1.49 A$2.10
-2.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$41.1K
$29.1K A$41.2K
-0.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K A$37.3K
$25.7K A$36.4K
2.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 A$334
$236 A$334
-0.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.75 A$39.31
$28.01 A$39.68
-0.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.5 A$80.0
$57.2 A$81.1
-1.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.6 A$75.9
$48.39 A$68.6
10.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.43 A$21.85
$21.46 A$30.41
-28.10%
Cinema Ticket
$17.79 A$25.20
$17.67 A$25.03
0.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,419 A$3,426
$2,461 A$3,486
-1.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.0K A$42.5K
$29.7K A$42.1K
1.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.5 A$114
$81.2 A$115
-0.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 A$72.6
$49.28 A$69.8
3.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 A$170
$120 A$169
0.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 A$192
$131 A$186
3.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,439 A$2,039
$1,703 A$2,412
-15.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,298 A$1,839
$1,409 A$1,996
-7.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,944 A$2,754
$3,496 A$4,952
-44.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,900 A$2,692
$2,527 A$3,579
-24.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,239 A$7,421
$7,978 A$11.3K
-34.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,491 A$6,362
$6,900 A$9,775
-34.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Romsey
Melbourne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,257 A$6,030
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
5.9
-

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

Last update for Romsey: October 27, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Romsey
$1.3K
Melbourne
$1.4K 8.5% $110
Groceries & Markets
Romsey
$386
Melbourne
$386 0.2% $0.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romsey
$320
Melbourne
$321 0.4% $1.3
Eating Out
Romsey
$312
Melbourne
$312 0.2% $0.6
Clothing & Footwear
Romsey
$174
Melbourne
$171 1.7% $2.9
Getting Around
Romsey
$115
Melbourne
$165 43.4% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Romsey
$89
Melbourne
$84 6.1% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,439 in Romsey and $1,703 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85 in Romsey vs $84 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $386, with Romsey cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Romsey
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🕒 Local time
11:14 11:14 AM
11:14 11:14 AM
Same time as Romsey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,400
5,031,195
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.706 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.634 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Romsey Melbourne 55 km
From you
  • Romsey
  • Melbourne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Romsey vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Romsey and in Melbourne?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,694 in Romsey and $2,849 in Melbourne, so Romsey is about 5% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Romsey compared to Melbourne?
You’d need roughly $4,042 in Romsey and $4,273 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Romsey and in Melbourne?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,439 in Romsey versus $1,703 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Romsey and Melbourne?
Childcare runs $2,419 in Romsey versus $2,461 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Romsey or Melbourne?
All in, you’ll spend $2,694 per month in Romsey versus $2,849 in Melbourne – Romsey is about 5% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Romsey and Melbourne?
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.
Is Romsey or Melbourne safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Romsey and Melbourne are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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