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: $2,817 in Toms River, NJ versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,299 in Toms River, NJ versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,782 in Toms River, NJ versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Toms River, NJ is roughly 17% more expensive than Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toms River, NJ 110% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.02 $18.02

$19.75 A$27.67

-8.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$78.7 A$110

3.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 $11.37

$9.70 A$13.60

17.22%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.66 A$5.13

36.61%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$2.60 A$3.65

-8.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.34 A$3.28

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$7.17 A$10.05

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 $6.43

$6.99 A$9.79

-8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.45 A$2.03

-11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.66 A$3.73

87.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.34 A$3.27

-0.43%

Eggs

$4.46 $4.46

$4.80 A$6.73

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$8.77 A$12.28

95.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.72 $16.72

$9.44 A$13.22

77.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 $16.29

$14.42 A$20.21

12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.33 A$4.67

77.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.77 A$3.89

-50.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.00 A$4.20

72.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$3.95 A$5.53

65.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.68 A$3.75

-41.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.36 A$3.30

14.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.14 A$2.99

19.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.63 A$2.29

25.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$32.44 A$45.46

-68.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 $9.80

$14.11 A$19.76

-30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.64 A$6.51

-34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$5.04 A$7.06

-23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.49 A$4.89

-41.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.50 A$4.90

41.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.35 A$1.88

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.83 $42.83

$26.94 A$37.75

58.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.19 A$1.67

-32.77%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$29.4K A$41.2K

16.83%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$23.6K A$33.0K

20.88%

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

$178 $178

$150 A$210

18.93%

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

$29.73 $29.73

$21.16 A$29.65

40.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$50.3 A$70.5

23.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 $29.43

$49.14 A$68.9

-40.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$22.94

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$16.43 A$23.03

-10.23%

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

$3,158 $3,158

$1,764 A$2,471

79.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.8K $56.8K

$19.2K A$26.9K

195.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 $66.0

$68.3 A$95.7

-3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.87 $48.87

$53.3 A$74.7

-8.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$106 A$149

5.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$105 A$147

65.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 $1,666

$1,572 A$2,203

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$1,195 A$1,674

23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,833 $2,833

$3,048 A$4,270

-7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,854 $2,854

$1,990 A$2,788

43.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,146

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$4,512 A$6,323

5.68%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,666 in Toms River, NJ and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toms River, NJ pays 6% 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 $79.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $354 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 17% in total monthly costs ($2,817 vs $2,416 including rent). Melbourne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Toms River, NJ pays 6% more on average, 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: $1,666 in Toms River, NJ versus $1,572 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 $2,817 per month in Toms River, NJ versus $2,416 in Melbourne – a 17% 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 17% less than in Toms River, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.