Cost of Living Comparison Between Scottsdale, AZ and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Scottsdale, AZ and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,099 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $2,420 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,412 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $3,592 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,725 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $4,765 in Melbourne.

Living in Scottsdale, AZ is roughly 28% more expensive than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scottsdale, AZ 132% above, Melbourne 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 $18.40

$19.36 A$27.71

-4.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$77.5 A$111

-0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$9.85 A$14.10

20.10%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$3.73 A$5.33

43.70%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.62 A$3.75

8.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.28 A$3.27

-5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$7.36 A$10.53

-20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$6.94 A$9.93

-1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.50 A$2.14

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.58 A$3.69

36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.34 A$3.35

116.67%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$4.85 A$6.95

-12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 $11.44

$8.72 A$12.49

31.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.90 $11.90

$9.26 A$13.26

28.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$14.58 A$20.88

1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.32 A$4.75

36.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.81 A$4.03

-47.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.00 A$4.30

29.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.98 A$5.70

4.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.67 A$3.82

6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.23 A$3.20

8.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.19 A$3.14

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.64 A$2.35

54.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 $8.99

$31.95 A$45.74

-71.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 $13.53

$13.92 A$19.93

-2.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$4.67 A$6.69

-53.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.04 A$7.21

-30.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 $2.32

$3.50 A$5.01

-33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.71 $43.71

$121 A$173

-63.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.56 A$5.10

-23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.40 A$2.01

-5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.16 $36.16

$27.50 A$39.37

31.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.15 A$1.64

-14.78%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$29.2K A$41.8K

5.11%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.0K A$32.9K

13.44%

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

$253 $253

$154 A$220

64.18%

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

$70.7 $70.7

$20.93 A$29.97

237.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$51.4 A$73.7

54.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.71 $33.71

$48.89 A$70.0

-31.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.25

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 $12.88

$15.97 A$22.87

-19.35%

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

$1,132 $1,132

$1,765 A$2,527

-35.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$19.5K A$27.9K

-19.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$67.0 A$96.0

-23.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 $41.69

$54.5 A$78.0

-23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 $83.7

$106 A$151

-20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$104 A$148

13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$1,575 A$2,255

15.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 $1,685

$1,206 A$1,726

39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,366 $3,366

$3,041 A$4,354

10.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,022 A$2,895

38.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,776 $3,776

$7,077 A$10.1K

-46.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,637 $4,637

$6,420 A$9,192

-27.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,653 $5,653

$4,398 A$6,297

28.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.19

5.17%

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

Last update for Scottsdale, AZ: July 12, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Scottsdale, AZ and $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scottsdale, AZ pays 29% 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: $77.0 in Scottsdale, AZ vs $77.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $384 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

Scottsdale, AZ vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scottsdale, AZ and Melbourne differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($3,099 vs $2,420 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Scottsdale, AZ, 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: $1,821 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,132 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $1,765 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Scottsdale, AZ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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, Scottsdale, AZ 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 28% less than in Scottsdale, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.