Cost of Living Comparison Between South Yarra and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between South Yarra and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,135 in South Yarra versus $2,435 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,204 in South Yarra versus $3,676 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,274 in South Yarra versus $4,918 in Melbourne.

Living in South Yarra costs roughly 12% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: South Yarra 60% above, Melbourne 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.20 A$27.58

$19.49 A$27.99

-1.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$113

$77.7 A$112

1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 A$11.18

$9.84 A$14.13

-20.93%

Cappuccino

$3.18 A$4.57

$3.69 A$5.30

-13.82%

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

$1.93 A$2.77

$2.54 A$3.65

-24.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.27

$2.34 A$3.37

-32.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 A$10.66

$7.36 A$10.58

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 A$10.57

$7.10 A$10.20

3.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.15

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.83

$2.58 A$3.70

3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 A$1.83

$2.34 A$3.36

-45.30%

Eggs

$3.99 A$5.74

$4.73 A$6.79

-15.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 A$13.04

$9.05 A$12.99

0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 A$9.15

$9.12 A$13.10

-30.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 A$21.41

$14.55 A$20.90

2.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$3.27 A$4.69

-22.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 A$2.74

$2.81 A$4.03

-32.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 A$1.92

$2.90 A$4.17

-53.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.76

$4.03 A$5.79

-34.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 A$1.83

$2.75 A$3.95

-53.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.75

$2.34 A$3.37

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 A$3.17

$2.12 A$3.04

3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.28

$1.66 A$2.38

-4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.52 A$42.40

$33.11 A$47.56

-10.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 A$17.90

$13.72 A$19.71

-9.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.56 A$6.54

$4.71 A$6.77

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 A$7.45

$5.03 A$7.23

3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 A$3.71

$3.55 A$5.10

-27.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$92.1

$121 A$174

-47.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 A$5.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.94

$1.34 A$1.92

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.61 A$38.23

$26.98 A$38.76

-1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.71

$1.18 A$1.69

0.85%

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

$29.3K A$42.1K

$29.1K A$41.8K

0.63%

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

$22.9K A$32.9K

$23.0K A$33.0K

-0.24%

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

$154 A$221

$151 A$217

1.80%

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

$21.49 A$30.86

$21.41 A$30.75

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.27 A$56.4

$51.4 A$73.8

-23.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.25 A$70.8

$49.75 A$71.5

-1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.59 A$22.40

$16.05 A$23.05

-2.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 A$18.64

$16.36 A$23.49

-20.66%

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

$1,756 A$2,523

$1,733 A$2,489

1.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K A$27.5K

$19.0K A$27.2K

0.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 A$95.9

$69.3 A$99.6

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 A$76.8

$54.0 A$77.5

-0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$151

$107 A$153

-1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 A$147

$104 A$149

-1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 A$1,786

$1,541 A$2,214

-19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 A$1,508

$1,193 A$1,714

-12.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,036 A$2,925

$2,997 A$4,304

-32.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 A$2,453

$1,998 A$2,869

-14.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,885 A$8,453

$7,244 A$10.4K

-18.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,994 A$7,174

$6,339 A$9,106

-21.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,354 A$6,254

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 South Yarra: July 26, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,243 in South Yarra and $1,541 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in South Yarra vs $78.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $303 vs $353, with South Yarra 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

South Yarra vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Yarra and Melbourne differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,135 vs $2,435 including rent). South Yarra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,202 in South Yarra and $3,653 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,243 in South Yarra versus $1,541 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,756 in South Yarra versus $1,733 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,135 in South Yarra versus $2,435 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in South Yarra but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes South Yarra 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, South Yarra 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 South Yarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.