Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tottori and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Tottori: $1,174 a month against $2,853 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tottori
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,174
/mo nomad
Melbourne
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,853
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tottori and in Melbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tottori and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Tottori versus $2,853 in Melbourne.

  • Tottori $1,174
  • Melbourne $2,853

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,879 in Tottori versus $4,275 in Melbourne.

  • Tottori $1,879
  • Melbourne $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,584 in Tottori versus $5,697 in Melbourne.

  • Tottori $2,584
  • Melbourne $5,697

Living in Tottori costs roughly 59% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tottori is 13% below, Melbourne is 111% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.48 ¥1,498
$17.20 A$24.75
-44.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.02 ¥5,059
$83.1 A$120
-61.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.97 ¥786
$12.43 A$17.88
-60.02%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ¥513
$4.05 A$5.82
-19.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ¥139
$3.12 A$4.50
-71.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ¥116
$2.46 A$3.54
-69.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 ¥484
$9.52 A$13.71
-67.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 ¥901
$8.16 A$11.74
-30.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.56 A$2.25
-3.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.00 ¥159
$2.90 A$4.18
-65.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.67 ¥895
$2.66 A$3.82
113.16%
Eggs
$2.05 ¥323
$5.37 A$7.72
-61.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.58 ¥1,356
$10.67 A$15.36
-19.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.17 ¥1,132
$9.85 A$14.17
-27.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.67 ¥1,843
$15.36 A$22.11
-24.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.24 ¥670
$4.17 A$6.00
1.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 ¥352
$3.15 A$4.53
-29.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.60 ¥727
$3.26 A$4.69
41.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 ¥531
$4.76 A$6.85
-29.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 ¥294
$3.06 A$4.41
-39.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 ¥262
$2.47 A$3.55
-32.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ¥188
$2.45 A$3.52
-51.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ¥142
$1.63 A$2.34
-44.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.77 ¥595
$45.17 A$65.0
-91.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.71 ¥1,217
$12.68 A$18.25
-39.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ¥257
$5.69 A$8.18
-71.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 ¥401
$5.23 A$7.53
-51.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 ¥171
$3.87 A$5.57
-72.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.2 ¥8,556
$142 A$204
-61.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.27 ¥517
$4.54 A$6.53
-27.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.88 ¥614
$1.42 A$2.04
173.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.25 ¥1,936
$30.59 A$44.01
-59.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥167
$1.47 A$2.11
-28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K ¥3.3M
$28.9K A$41.5K
-27.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.9K ¥2.3M
$25.9K A$37.3K
-42.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ¥16.1K
$235 A$338
-56.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.06 ¥3,801
$27.45 A$39.51
-12.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.13 ¥4,918
$56.1 A$80.8
-44.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 ¥8,209
$50.1 A$72.1
3.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.73 ¥2,010
$21.49 A$30.93
-40.76%
Cinema Ticket
$12.06 ¥1,905
$17.76 A$25.56
-32.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$322 ¥50.8K
$2,385 A$3,432
-86.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,609 ¥1.0M
$29.7K A$42.7K
-77.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.45 ¥5,442
$79.2 A$114
-56.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.36 ¥3,690
$49.49 A$71.2
-52.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.17 ¥7,768
$118 A$170
-58.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.0 ¥15.2K
$132 A$190
-27.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$272 ¥42.9K
$1,763 A$2,537
-84.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$330 ¥52.2K
$1,411 A$2,031
-76.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,117 ¥176.5K
$3,522 A$5,069
-68.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$743 ¥117.4K
$2,525 A$3,634
-70.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,580 ¥723.6K
$7,136 A$10.3K
-35.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,833 ¥289.6K
$6,355 A$9,144
-71.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tottori
Melbourne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,258 A$6,128
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.74
5.9
-70.51%

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

Last update for Tottori: October 19, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tottori
$330
Melbourne
$1.4K 328% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Tottori
$275
Melbourne
$388 41% $113
Eating Out
Tottori
$163
Melbourne
$310 90.1% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tottori
$157
Melbourne
$319 103% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Tottori
$91
Melbourne
$171 86.8% $79
Getting Around
Tottori
$81
Melbourne
$169 108% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Tottori
$76
Melbourne
$86 12.6% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Tottori and $1,763 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Tottori vs $83.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $388 per month, with Tottori cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tottori
🇦🇺 Melbourne
🕒 Local time
05:35 5:35 AM
07:35 7:35 AM
2 h ahead of Tottori
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
193,717
5,031,195
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tottori Melbourne 8,230 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tottori
  • Melbourne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tottori vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tottori and in Melbourne?
Tottori and Melbourne differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($1,174 vs $2,853 including rent). Tottori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Tottori compared to Melbourne?
You'd need roughly $1,761 in Tottori and $4,280 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Tottori and in Melbourne?
Rent for a central apartment: $272 in Tottori versus $1,763 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tottori and Melbourne?
Childcare runs $322 in Tottori versus $2,385 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,174 in Tottori versus $2,853 in Melbourne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tottori but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Tottori the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tottori and Melbourne?
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.
Is Tottori or Melbourne safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tottori 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.
Where should expats move: Tottori or Melbourne?
Expats usually find Tottori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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