Cost of Living Comparison Between Shepparton and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Shepparton and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,991 in Shepparton versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,996 in Shepparton versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,001 in Shepparton versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Shepparton costs roughly 18% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Shepparton 49% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 A$27.48

$19.75 A$27.52

-0.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 A$86.2

$78.7 A$110

-21.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 A$13.27

$9.70 A$13.52

-1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.07

$3.66 A$5.11

-0.55%

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

$2.62 A$3.65

$2.60 A$3.63

0.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 A$3.28

$2.34 A$3.26

0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.61 A$9.21

$7.17 A$10.00

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 A$9.85

$6.99 A$9.73

1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.89

$1.45 A$2.02

-6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 A$3.37

$2.66 A$3.71

-9.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.13

$2.34 A$3.26

-3.85%

Eggs

$3.77 A$5.26

$4.80 A$6.69

-21.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 A$12.26

$8.77 A$12.21

0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 A$11.88

$9.44 A$13.15

-9.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 A$20.33

$14.42 A$20.09

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.55

$3.33 A$4.64

-1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.00

$2.77 A$3.87

3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.16

$3.00 A$4.18

-0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 A$5.67

$3.95 A$5.50

3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.92

$2.68 A$3.73

4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 A$3.12

$2.36 A$3.28

-5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.94

$2.14 A$2.98

-1.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 A$2.22

$1.63 A$2.27

-2.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.74 A$41.44

$32.44 A$45.21

-8.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 A$16.70

$14.11 A$19.66

-15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.34

$4.64 A$6.47

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 A$7.27

$5.04 A$7.02

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 A$3.57

$3.49 A$4.87

-26.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 A$91.9

$120 A$167

-45.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.88

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.35 A$1.87

-8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.91 A$37.50

$26.94 A$37.55

-0.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.65

$1.19 A$1.66

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$29.4K A$41.0K

-2.95%

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

$23.4K A$32.7K

$23.6K A$32.9K

-0.61%

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

$154 A$215

$150 A$209

2.94%

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

$20.86 A$29.07

$21.16 A$29.49

-1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 A$72.3

$50.3 A$70.1

3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 A$85.8

$49.14 A$68.5

25.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.41 A$21.47

$16.37 A$22.82

-5.86%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 A$22.29

$16.43 A$22.90

-2.62%

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

$1,760 A$2,452

$1,764 A$2,458

-0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K A$27.0K

$19.2K A$26.7K

1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 A$93.6

$68.3 A$95.2

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 A$74.1

$53.3 A$74.3

-0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$149

$106 A$148

0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 A$150

$105 A$146

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 A$1,377

$1,572 A$2,191

-37.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 A$1,116

$1,195 A$1,665

-32.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 A$2,289

$3,048 A$4,247

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 A$1,886

$1,990 A$2,772

-31.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,811 A$8,098

$7,387 A$10.3K

-21.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,465 A$6,222

$6,527 A$9,095

-31.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,629 A$3,664

$4,512 A$6,288

-41.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

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

Last update for Shepparton: June 2, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $988 in Shepparton and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 72% 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: $62.0 in Shepparton vs $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $354 per month, with Shepparton cheaper across the board.

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

Shepparton vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shepparton and Melbourne differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,991 vs $2,416 including rent). Shepparton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Melbourne earns 72% less. 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: $988 in Shepparton versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,760 in Shepparton versus $1,764 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,991 in Shepparton versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shepparton but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Shepparton 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, Shepparton 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 Shepparton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.