Cost of Living Comparison Between Toms River, NJ and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Toms River, NJ and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,753 in Toms River, NJ versus $2,420 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,222 in Toms River, NJ versus $3,592 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,691 in Toms River, NJ versus $4,765 in Melbourne.

Living in Toms River, NJ is roughly 14% more expensive than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toms River, NJ 106% above, Melbourne 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 $18.13

$19.36 A$27.64

-6.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$77.5 A$111

4.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$9.85 A$14.07

16.45%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$3.73 A$5.32

31.90%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$2.62 A$3.74

-9.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.28 A$3.26

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$7.36 A$10.50

-33.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 $6.59

$6.94 A$9.91

-5.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.50 A$2.14

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.58 A$3.68

95.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.34 A$3.34

0.43%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$4.85 A$6.93

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$8.72 A$12.46

100.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$9.26 A$13.22

75.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$14.58 A$20.82

15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.32 A$4.74

74.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.81 A$4.01

-51.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.00 A$4.29

71.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$3.98 A$5.68

56.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.67 A$3.81

-43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.23 A$3.19

21.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.19 A$3.13

16.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.64 A$2.34

20.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 $10.18

$31.95 A$45.62

-68.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 $10.21

$13.92 A$19.88

-26.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$4.67 A$6.67

-37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.04 A$7.20

-26.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.50 A$5.00

-41.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 A$172

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.56 A$5.09

41.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.40 A$2.01

58.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.97 $41.97

$27.50 A$39.26

52.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.15 A$1.64

-31.30%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$29.2K A$41.7K

19.25%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$23.0K A$32.8K

19.66%

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

$185 $185

$154 A$220

20.14%

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

$30.25 $30.25

$20.93 A$29.89

44.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$51.4 A$73.5

20.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.56 $29.56

$48.89 A$69.8

-39.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.24 A$23.19

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$15.97 A$22.81

-7.76%

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

$3,103 $3,103

$1,765 A$2,520

75.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.3K $56.3K

$19.5K A$27.9K

188.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 $67.8

$67.0 A$95.7

1.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.19 $47.19

$54.5 A$77.8

-13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$106 A$151

5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 $171

$104 A$148

65.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$1,575 A$2,249

3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 $1,523

$1,206 A$1,722

26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,842 $2,842

$3,041 A$4,342

-6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$2,022 A$2,887

38.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,077 A$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$9,168

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,799 $4,799

$4,398 A$6,280

9.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.19

4.04%

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

Last update for Toms River, NJ: July 13, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,637 in Toms River, NJ and $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toms River, NJ pays 9% 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: $81.0 in Toms River, NJ vs $77.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $353 per month, with Melbourne 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

Toms River, NJ vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toms River, NJ and Melbourne differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,753 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 9% higher in Toms River, NJ, 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: $1,637 in Toms River, NJ versus $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Toms River, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,753 per month in Toms River, NJ versus $2,420 in Melbourne – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Toms River, NJ 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 14% less than in Toms River, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.