Cost of Living Comparison Between Sudbury and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Sudbury and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,469 in Sudbury versus $2,910 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,687 in Sudbury versus $4,408 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,904 in Sudbury versus $5,905 in Melbourne.

Living in Sudbury costs roughly 15% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sudbury 79% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.32 CA$25.41

$18.41 A$25.66

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 CA$101

$86.5 A$121

-15.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.35

$12.46 A$17.38

-11.16%

Cappuccino

$3.02 CA$4.19

$4.17 A$5.81

-27.58%

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

$2.10 CA$2.91

$3.15 A$4.40

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$2.65 A$3.70

-36.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 CA$7.94

$10.05 A$14.01

-43.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 CA$9.43

$8.51 A$11.86

-20.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$1.61 A$2.25

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$3.29 A$4.58

-38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.43

$3.02 A$4.21

53.64%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.34

$6.00 A$8.36

-35.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.84

$11.06 A$15.42

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.29

$9.92 A$13.83

40.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.78

$15.87 A$22.12

-19.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.05

$4.41 A$6.15

-1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$3.22 A$4.49

-60.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.14

$3.45 A$4.80

7.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.84

$4.91 A$6.85

-14.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.42

$3.14 A$4.37

24.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.66 A$3.71

0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 CA$2.64

$2.52 A$3.51

-24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.17

$1.69 A$2.36

35.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.42 CA$20.00

$46.21 A$64.4

-68.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 CA$19.92

$12.58 A$17.54

14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$5.41 A$7.54

-43.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$5.33 A$7.43

-46.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 CA$4.13

$4.03 A$5.62

-26.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$142 A$198

-48.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$4.71 A$6.56

-30.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$1.41 A$1.97

61.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.97 CA$48.50

$31.32 A$43.67

11.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.43 A$1.99

-18.18%

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

$28.4K CA$39.3K

$29.5K A$41.1K

-3.69%

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

$19.0K CA$26.4K

$27.0K A$37.6K

-29.38%

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

$176 CA$244

$239 A$334

-26.40%

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

$52.5 CA$72.9

$28.19 A$39.30

86.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 CA$102

$57.3 A$79.9

28.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 CA$82.2

$55.9 A$77.9

6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 CA$19.75

$22.72 A$31.68

-37.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 CA$16.58

$17.89 A$24.94

-33.20%

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

$547 CA$758

$2,456 A$3,424

-77.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,573 CA$11.9K

$31.5K A$44.0K

-72.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 CA$80.7

$82.4 A$115

-29.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.62 CA$46.62

$52.1 A$72.6

-35.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 CA$147

$120 A$168

-12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$205

$137 A$191

7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,911

$1,777 A$2,477

-22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 CA$1,641

$1,457 A$2,032

-18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 CA$2,739

$3,561 A$4,965

-44.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,964 CA$2,724

$2,568 A$3,581

-23.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,679 CA$3,715

$7,269 A$10.1K

-63.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,919 CA$2,661

$6,897 A$9,616

-72.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,963 CA$4,110

$4,459 A$6,217

-33.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.84

-14.21%

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

Last update for Sudbury: September 6, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,378 in Sudbury and $1,777 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 50% 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: $73.0 in Sudbury vs $86.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $403 per month, with Sudbury 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

Sudbury vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sudbury and Melbourne differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,469 vs $2,910 including rent). Sudbury is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Melbourne. 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: $1,378 in Sudbury versus $1,777 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $547 in Sudbury versus $2,456 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% 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. Sudbury 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, Sudbury 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 Sudbury gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.