Cost of Living Comparison Between Wollongong and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Wollongong and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,929 in Wollongong versus $2,420 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,776 in Wollongong versus $3,592 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,623 in Wollongong versus $4,765 in Melbourne.

Living in Wollongong costs roughly 20% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wollongong 44% above, Melbourne 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.81 A$21.21

$19.36 A$27.71

-23.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 A$123

$77.5 A$111

11.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.27

$9.85 A$14.10

1.22%

Cappuccino

$3.31 A$4.74

$3.73 A$5.33

-11.26%

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

$2.56 A$3.67

$2.62 A$3.75

-2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.22

$2.28 A$3.27

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 A$8.40

$7.36 A$10.53

-20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 A$10.78

$6.94 A$9.93

8.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.62

$1.50 A$2.14

-24.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 A$3.13

$2.58 A$3.69

-15.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 A$2.31

$2.34 A$3.35

-31.20%

Eggs

$3.51 A$5.03

$4.85 A$6.95

-27.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 A$14.45

$8.72 A$12.49

15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 A$12.09

$9.26 A$13.26

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 A$20.75

$14.58 A$20.88

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$3.32 A$4.75

-14.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.63

$2.81 A$4.03

-9.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.29

$3.00 A$4.30

-23.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.84

$3.98 A$5.70

2.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 A$2.97

$2.67 A$3.82

-22.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.56

$2.23 A$3.20

-19.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.57

$2.19 A$3.14

13.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 A$1.45

$1.64 A$2.35

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.03 A$44.43

$31.95 A$45.74

-2.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 A$19.41

$13.92 A$19.93

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 A$4.11

$4.67 A$6.69

-38.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$5.04

$5.04 A$7.21

-30.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 A$3.59

$3.50 A$5.01

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.67 A$68.3

$121 A$173

-60.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 A$5.77

$3.56 A$5.10

13.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 A$2.55

$1.40 A$2.01

27.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.78 A$58.4

$27.50 A$39.37

48.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.67

$1.15 A$1.64

1.74%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$29.2K A$41.8K

-2.60%

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

$22.6K A$32.3K

$23.0K A$32.9K

-1.71%

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

$184 A$264

$154 A$220

19.71%

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

$28.49 A$40.78

$20.93 A$29.97

36.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.46 A$69.4

$51.4 A$73.7

-5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 A$108

$48.89 A$70.0

54.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 A$22.08

$16.24 A$23.25

-5.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 A$16.90

$15.97 A$22.87

-26.05%

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

$1,557 A$2,229

$1,765 A$2,527

-11.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K A$19.3K

$19.5K A$27.9K

-30.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 A$84.9

$67.0 A$96.0

-11.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 A$79.9

$54.5 A$78.0

2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 A$138

$106 A$151

-8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$160

$104 A$148

7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 A$1,381

$1,575 A$2,255

-38.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 A$1,148

$1,206 A$1,726

-33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 A$2,810

$3,041 A$4,354

-35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 A$1,498

$2,022 A$2,895

-48.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,562 A$6,532

$7,077 A$10.1K

-35.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,605 A$5,162

$6,420 A$9,192

-43.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,286 A$6,136

$4,398 A$6,297

-2.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

6.19

1.62%

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

Last update for Wollongong: July 13, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Wollongong and $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 3% 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: $86.0 in Wollongong vs $77.0 in Melbourne. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $353, with Wollongong 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

Wollongong vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wollongong and Melbourne differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,929 vs $2,420 including rent). Wollongong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3% 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: $965 in Wollongong versus $1,575 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,557 in Wollongong versus $1,765 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,929 in Wollongong versus $2,420 in Melbourne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wollongong but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Wollongong 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, Wollongong 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 Wollongong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.