Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney and Melbourne 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Melbourne is 7.8% lower than in Sydney (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Melbourne is 17.0% lower than in Sydney
Rent Prices in Melbourne are 31.2% lower than in Sydney
Restaurant Prices in Melbourne are 0.5% higher than in Sydney
Groceries Prices in Melbourne are 8.2% lower than in Sydney
Local Purchasing Power in Melbourne is 21.0% higher than in Sydney
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 15.97 $
(24.24 A$)
16.48 $
(25.00 A$)
     +3.1 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 79.09 $
(120.00 A$)
79.09 $
(120.00 A$)
     0.0 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 9.89 $
(15.00 A$)
9.89 $
(15.00 A$)
     0.0 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 6.80 $
(10.32 A$)
6.59 $
(10.00 A$)
     -3.1 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 7.91 $
(12.00 A$)
6.59 $
(10.00 A$)
     -16.7 %
Cappuccino (regular) 3.32 $
(5.04 A$)
3.41 $
(5.18 A$)
     +2.7 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.51 $
(3.81 A$)
2.61 $
(3.96 A$)
     +3.7 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.10 $
(3.19 A$)
2.31 $
(3.51 A$)
     +10.1 %
Markets
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 5.92 $
(8.99 A$)
5.27 $
(8.00 A$)
     -10.9 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 2.49 $
(3.78 A$)
2.32 $
(3.52 A$)
     -6.7 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 1.03 $
(1.57 A$)
0.98 $
(1.49 A$)
     -5.1 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.03 $
(6.11 A$)
3.77 $
(5.72 A$)
     -6.4 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 5.04 $
(7.64 A$)
4.34 $
(6.59 A$)
     -13.8 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 3.80 $
(5.77 A$)
3.89 $
(5.90 A$)
     +2.3 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 6.35 $
(9.64 A$)
6.01 $
(9.12 A$)
     -5.4 %
Apples (1 lb) 1.45 $
(2.20 A$)
1.33 $
(2.02 A$)
     -8.4 %
Banana (1 lb) 1.27 $
(1.92 A$)
1.14 $
(1.73 A$)
     -9.9 %
Oranges (1 lb) 1.38 $
(2.09 A$)
1.14 $
(1.73 A$)
     -17.4 %
Tomato (1 lb) 1.92 $
(2.92 A$)
1.66 $
(2.51 A$)
     -13.9 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.09 $
(1.66 A$)
1.00 $
(1.51 A$)
     -8.9 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.02 $
(1.55 A$)
0.96 $
(1.46 A$)
     -5.5 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.22 $
(3.37 A$)
2.16 $
(3.27 A$)
     -2.9 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 1.43 $
(2.17 A$)
1.42 $
(2.15 A$)
     -1.0 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 13.18 $
(20.00 A$)
12.03 $
(18.25 A$)
     -8.7 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 4.66 $
(7.07 A$)
4.55 $
(6.91 A$)
     -2.3 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 5.33 $
(8.09 A$)
5.51 $
(8.36 A$)
     +3.4 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 32.95 $
(50.00 A$)
29.66 $
(45.00 A$)
     -10.0 %
Transportation
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 3.30 $
(5.00 A$)
3.49 $
(5.30 A$)
     +6.0 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 143.27 $
(217.39 A$)
122.19 $
(185.40 A$)
     -14.7 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 4.55 $
(6.90 A$)
3.62 $
(5.50 A$)
     -20.3 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 5.30 $
(8.05 A$)
3.18 $
(4.83 A$)
     -40.0 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 56.02 $
(85.00 A$)
29.49 $
(44.74 A$)
     -47.4 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 5.07 $
(7.69 A$)
4.79 $
(7.27 A$)
     -5.5 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 29,277.10 $
(44,423.00 A$)
27,680.22 $
(42,000.00 A$)
     -5.5 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 22,892.65 $
(34,735.68 A$)
22,435.98 $
(34,042.76 A$)
     -2.0 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 198.90 $
(301.80 A$)
156.45 $
(237.38 A$)
     -21.3 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 25.83 $
(39.20 A$)
26.34 $
(39.97 A$)
     +2.0 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 51.16 $
(77.62 A$)
52.39 $
(79.50 A$)
     +2.4 %
Sports And Leisure
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 57.72 $
(87.57 A$)
54.25 $
(82.32 A$)
     -6.0 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 19.50 $
(29.59 A$)
14.50 $
(22.00 A$)
     -25.7 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 15.82 $
(24.00 A$)
14.50 $
(22.00 A$)
     -8.3 %
Childcare
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 2,033.84 $
(3,086.00 A$)
1,648.77 $
(2,501.72 A$)
     -18.9 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 17,514.81 $
(26,575.74 A$)
19,104.29 $
(28,987.50 A$)
     +9.1 %
Clothing And Shoes
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 73.11 $
(110.93 A$)
78.97 $
(119.82 A$)
     +8.0 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 59.32 $
(90.01 A$)
51.99 $
(78.88 A$)
     -12.4 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 107.37 $
(162.92 A$)
104.69 $
(158.84 A$)
     -2.5 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 126.60 $
(192.09 A$)
112.90 $
(171.31 A$)
     -10.8 %
Rent Per Month
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,156.47 $
(3,272.07 A$)
1,471.42 $
(2,232.62 A$)
     -31.8 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,503.59 $
(2,281.44 A$)
1,207.82 $
(1,832.67 A$)
     -19.7 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 4,251.51 $
(6,450.94 A$)
2,715.99 $
(4,121.05 A$)
     -36.1 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,482.53 $
(3,766.81 A$)
1,757.46 $
(2,666.65 A$)
     -29.2 %
Buy Apartment Price
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 1,398.31 $
(2,121.70 A$)
654.70 $
(993.39 A$)
     -53.2 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 877.59 $
(1,331.60 A$)
524.81 $
(796.30 A$)
     -40.2 %
Salaries And Financing
Sydney Edit Melbourne Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 4,170.67 $
(6,328.28 A$)
4,191.43 $
(6,359.79 A$)
     +0.5 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.35 6.34      -0.2 %
Last update: June 2024June 2024
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