Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita, KS and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita, KS and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,165 in Wichita, KS versus $2,416 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,401 in Wichita, KS versus $3,579 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,636 in Wichita, KS versus $4,742 in Melbourne.

Living in Wichita, KS costs roughly 10% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wichita, KS 62% above, Melbourne 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$19.75 A$28.01

-0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 $56.1

$78.7 A$112

-28.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$9.70 A$13.76

3.40%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$3.66 A$5.20

27.32%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$2.60 A$3.69

-7.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.34 A$3.32

-26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.17 A$10.18

-24.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.99 A$9.91

-15.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.45 A$2.06

-40.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.66 A$3.78

39.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.34 A$3.32

84.62%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$4.80 A$6.81

-17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$8.77 A$12.43

13.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.66 $10.66

$9.44 A$13.38

12.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 $17.58

$14.42 A$20.45

21.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.33 A$4.73

66.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.77 A$3.94

-40.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.00 A$4.26

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.95 A$5.60

13.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.68 A$3.80

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.36 A$3.34

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.14 A$3.03

-2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.63 A$2.31

12.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$32.44 A$46.02

-71.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$14.11 A$20.01

7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$4.64 A$6.59

-51.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$5.04 A$7.15

-25.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.49 A$4.95

-51.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 $54.4

$120 A$170

-54.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.50 A$4.96

-28.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.35 A$1.91

16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.48 $26.48

$26.94 A$38.22

-1.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.19 A$1.69

-32.77%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$29.4K A$41.7K

-6.04%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.6K A$33.4K

2.37%

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

$326 $326

$150 A$213

117.49%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$21.16 A$30.01

162.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$50.3 A$71.3

45.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.72 $47.72

$49.14 A$69.7

-2.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 $19.87

$16.37 A$23.23

21.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$16.43 A$23.31

-21.18%

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

$921 $921

$1,764 A$2,502

-47.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$19.2K A$27.2K

-15.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.34 $45.34

$68.3 A$96.9

-33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 $38.93

$53.3 A$75.6

-26.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$106 A$151

4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$105 A$148

4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 $992

$1,572 A$2,231

-36.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 $777

$1,195 A$1,695

-34.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$3,048 A$4,323

-36.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 $1,783

$1,990 A$2,822

-10.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,549 $1,549

$7,387 A$10.5K

-79.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 $1,477

$6,527 A$9,259

-77.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,528 $3,528

$4,512 A$6,401

-21.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.19

5.33%

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

Last update for Wichita, KS: June 1, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Wichita, KS and $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 28% 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: $56.0 in Wichita, KS vs $79.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $354, with Melbourne cheaper for home cooking.

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

Wichita, KS vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wichita, KS and Melbourne differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,165 vs $2,416 including rent). Wichita, KS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Melbourne earns 28% less. 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: $992 in Wichita, KS versus $1,572 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $921 in Wichita, KS versus $1,764 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Melbourne pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,165 in Wichita, KS versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wichita, KS but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Wichita, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.