Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Southern Cross versus $2,905 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,725 in Southern Cross versus $4,310 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,819 in Southern Cross versus $5,714 in Melbourne.

Living in Southern Cross costs roughly 9% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Southern Cross 92% above, Melbourne 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 A$28.45

$18.12 A$25.46

11.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 A$88.1

$84.8 A$119

-26.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 A$13.57

$12.11 A$17.01

-20.23%

Cappuccino

$3.64 A$5.11

$4.12 A$5.79

-11.65%

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

$2.49 A$3.50

$3.21 A$4.51

-22.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 A$2.52

$2.55 A$3.59

-29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 A$9.83

$9.77 A$13.72

-28.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 A$11.93

$8.55 A$12.02

-0.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 A$2.31

$1.62 A$2.28

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 A$3.89

$3.19 A$4.48

-13.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 A$3.19

$2.85 A$4.00

-20.35%

Eggs

$2.84 A$3.99

$5.83 A$8.19

-51.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$14.08

$11.00 A$15.45

-8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 A$13.46

$10.03 A$14.09

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.06 A$21.16

$15.45 A$21.70

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 A$5.13

$4.40 A$6.18

-17.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.30

$3.17 A$4.45

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.66

$3.28 A$4.61

1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 A$6.58

$4.88 A$6.85

-3.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 A$3.75

$3.11 A$4.37

-14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.52

$2.64 A$3.70

-5.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 A$3.56

$2.49 A$3.50

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.31

$1.68 A$2.37

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$36.00 A$50.6

$45.87 A$64.5

-21.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$19.82

$12.66 A$17.79

11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.97 A$6.98

$5.61 A$7.89

-11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 A$7.82

$5.29 A$7.44

5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 A$4.95

$3.89 A$5.47

-9.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.6 A$129

$140 A$197

-34.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 A$4.51

$4.65 A$6.53

-30.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.41

$1.41 A$1.98

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.09 A$52.1

$30.65 A$43.06

21.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 A$1.80

$1.38 A$1.94

-7.25%

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

$24.3K A$34.1K

$28.9K A$40.7K

-16.08%

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

$34.2K A$48.0K

$27.2K A$38.2K

25.61%

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

$216 A$303

$238 A$334

-9.26%

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

$28.27 A$39.73

$27.90 A$39.21

1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 A$80.7

$57.7 A$81.0

-0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 A$75.4

$55.0 A$77.3

-2.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.20 A$25.56

$22.31 A$31.35

-18.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 A$19.84

$17.87 A$25.10

-20.98%

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

$1,977 A$2,778

$2,450 A$3,442

-19.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K A$28.1K

$32.1K A$45.1K

-37.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 A$120

$81.3 A$114

4.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 A$75.2

$51.8 A$72.8

3.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$120 A$168

-7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$158

$135 A$190

-16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 A$2,063

$1,766 A$2,481

-16.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 A$1,686

$1,430 A$2,009

-16.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,088 A$2,934

$3,441 A$4,835

-39.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 A$2,889

$2,562 A$3,600

-19.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,218 A$8,736

$7,336 A$10.3K

-15.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,868 A$6,839

$6,900 A$9,694

-29.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,267 A$10.2K

$4,352 A$6,115

66.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

5.89

6.11%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: September 14, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,468 in Southern Cross and $1,766 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Southern Cross vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $400 per month, with Southern Cross 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

Southern Cross vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Cross and Melbourne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,632 vs $2,905 including rent). Southern Cross is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Southern Cross, 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: $1,468 in Southern Cross versus $1,766 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,977 in Southern Cross versus $2,450 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 Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Southern Cross 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, Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.