Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Townsville and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,813 in Townsville versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,064 in Townsville versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,314 in Townsville versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Townsville costs roughly 3% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Townsville 105% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.42 A$29.96

$17.95 A$25.11

19.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 A$98.2

$84.6 A$118

-17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 A$17.00

$12.26 A$17.14

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$3.81 A$5.33

$4.22 A$5.91

-9.72%

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

$2.58 A$3.60

$3.16 A$4.42

-18.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 A$3.60

$2.66 A$3.73

-3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.40 A$11.76

$9.98 A$13.97

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 A$10.11

$8.83 A$12.35

-18.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 A$2.66

$1.65 A$2.31

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.27

$3.40 A$4.76

-31.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 A$1.97

$2.79 A$3.90

-49.46%

Eggs

$5.39 A$7.54

$5.69 A$7.95

-5.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 A$11.64

$11.30 A$15.81

-26.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.13 A$14.17

$9.67 A$13.52

4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.59 A$19.01

$15.78 A$22.07

-13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 A$5.65

$4.19 A$5.86

-3.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.84

$3.02 A$4.22

-8.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 A$4.89

$3.27 A$4.58

7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.03

$4.81 A$6.73

-10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.85

$3.26 A$4.56

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.81

$2.60 A$3.64

4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.48

$2.51 A$3.52

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 A$2.96

$1.64 A$2.30

28.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.63 A$44.25

$46.11 A$64.5

-31.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 A$14.99

$12.06 A$16.87

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$7.04 A$9.84

$5.48 A$7.66

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 A$11.77

$5.15 A$7.20

63.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 A$3.19

$3.83 A$5.35

-40.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.7 A$111

$144 A$202

-44.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 A$5.46

$4.31 A$6.03

-9.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 A$3.59

$1.47 A$2.06

74.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.6 A$75.0

$31.02 A$43.39

72.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 A$1.76

$1.46 A$2.04

-13.70%

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

$28.5K A$39.9K

$29.5K A$41.3K

-3.42%

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

$36.3K A$50.8K

$27.7K A$38.8K

30.92%

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

$404 A$565

$242 A$339

66.88%

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

$37.40 A$52.3

$28.20 A$39.44

32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 A$97.1

$57.2 A$80.0

21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 A$78.3

$56.2 A$78.6

-0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 A$29.10

$21.71 A$30.37

-4.19%

Cinema Ticket

$16.05 A$22.45

$17.89 A$25.02

-10.29%

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

$2,158 A$3,019

$2,443 A$3,418

-11.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K A$29.6K

$33.0K A$46.2K

-35.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 A$135

$82.1 A$115

17.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 A$102

$50.4 A$70.5

44.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 A$234

$126 A$176

32.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$138 A$193

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 A$1,876

$1,774 A$2,481

-24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 A$1,662

$1,427 A$1,997

-16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 A$3,680

$3,504 A$4,901

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 A$2,931

$2,517 A$3,520

-16.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,023 A$7,026

$7,411 A$10.4K

-32.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,092 A$5,724

$6,718 A$9,397

-39.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,152 A$5,808

$4,478 A$6,264

-7.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.85

-5.30%

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

Last update for Townsville: September 1, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Townsville and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 8% 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: $70.0 in Townsville vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $397 per month, with Townsville 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

Townsville vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Townsville and Melbourne differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,813 vs $2,894 including rent). Townsville is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% 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: $1,341 in Townsville versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,158 in Townsville versus $2,443 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 $2,500. Townsville 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, Townsville 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 Townsville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.