Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Melbourne 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Melbourne is 11.6% lower than in Fairfax, VA (excluding rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Melbourne is 18.3% lower than in Fairfax, VA
Rent Prices in Melbourne are 30.2% lower than in Fairfax, VA
Restaurant Prices in Melbourne are 18.4% lower than in Fairfax, VA
Groceries Prices in Melbourne are 8.1% lower than in Fairfax, VA
Local Purchasing Power in Melbourne is 22.5% lower than in Fairfax, VA
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 20.00 $
(31.08 A$)
18.02 $
(28.00 A$)
     -9.9 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 100.00 $
(155.42 A$)
77.21 $
(120.00 A$)
     -22.8 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 12.00 $
(18.65 A$)
9.65 $
(15.00 A$)
     -19.6 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 6.00 $
(9.33 A$)
7.40 $
(11.50 A$)
     +23.3 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 8.00 $
(12.43 A$)
7.08 $
(11.00 A$)
     -11.5 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.63 $
(8.75 A$)
3.53 $
(5.49 A$)
     -37.3 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.80 $
(4.35 A$)
2.50 $
(3.88 A$)
     -10.8 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.30 $
(3.57 A$)
2.28 $
(3.54 A$)
     -0.9 %
Markets
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.28 $
(6.65 A$)
5.39 $
(8.38 A$)
     +25.9 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.62 $
(5.63 A$)
2.29 $
(3.55 A$)
     -36.8 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 1.88 $
(2.92 A$)
1.04 $
(1.61 A$)
     -44.8 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.92 $
(7.64 A$)
4.68 $
(7.27 A$)
     -4.8 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 7.73 $
(12.01 A$)
4.05 $
(6.30 A$)
     -47.6 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 5.64 $
(8.77 A$)
4.09 $
(6.35 A$)
     -27.5 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 7.48 $
(11.63 A$)
6.41 $
(9.96 A$)
     -14.4 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.54 $
(3.95 A$)
1.45 $
(2.25 A$)
     -43.0 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.91 $
(1.41 A$)
1.28 $
(1.99 A$)
     +41.4 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.36 $
(3.67 A$)
1.29 $
(2.01 A$)
     -45.1 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.84 $
(4.42 A$)
1.76 $
(2.73 A$)
     -38.1 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.54 $
(2.39 A$)
1.18 $
(1.84 A$)
     -23.2 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.25 $
(1.94 A$)
1.02 $
(1.59 A$)
     -17.9 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.25 $
(3.50 A$)
2.14 $
(3.33 A$)
     -4.7 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.45 $
(3.80 A$)
1.36 $
(2.11 A$)
     -44.5 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 14.00 $
(21.76 A$)
12.87 $
(20.00 A$)
     -8.1 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.65 $
(4.12 A$)
4.44 $
(6.91 A$)
     +67.6 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 4.58 $
(7.12 A$)
5.13 $
(7.98 A$)
     +12.0 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 10.72 $
(16.67 A$)
32.17 $
(50.00 A$)
     +200.0 %
Transportation
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 5.00 $
(7.77 A$)
3.54 $
(5.50 A$)
     -29.2 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 45.00 $
(69.94 A$)
117.42 $
(182.50 A$)
     +160.9 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 2.50 $
(3.89 A$)
4.09 $
(6.35 A$)
     +63.4 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 2.50 $
(3.89 A$)
2.28 $
(3.55 A$)
     -8.7 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 22.50 $
(34.97 A$)
26.79 $
(41.64 A$)
     +19.1 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.32 $
(5.16 A$)
4.47 $
(6.95 A$)
     +34.7 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 30,000.00 $
(46,626.87 A$)
28,582.02 $
(44,423.00 A$)
     -4.7 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 25,775.73 $
(40,061.38 A$)
22,736.26 $
(35,337.35 A$)
     -11.8 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 208.70 $
(324.36 A$)
154.41 $
(239.99 A$)
     -26.0 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 59.67 $
(92.75 A$)
21.77 $
(33.83 A$)
     -63.5 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 69.16 $
(107.49 A$)
50.95 $
(79.19 A$)
     -26.3 %
Sports And Leisure
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 108.50 $
(168.63 A$)
49.82 $
(77.44 A$)
     -54.1 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 25.00 $
(38.86 A$)
15.08 $
(23.44 A$)
     -39.7 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 15.00 $
(23.31 A$)
16.09 $
(25.00 A$)
     +7.2 %
Childcare
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,750.00 $
(2,719.90 A$)
1,731.09 $
(2,690.52 A$)
     -1.1 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 30,776.00 $
(47,832.95 A$)
19,145.10 $
(29,755.88 A$)
     -37.8 %
Clothing And Shoes
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 56.00 $
(87.04 A$)
70.43 $
(109.46 A$)
     +25.8 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 50.22 $
(78.06 A$)
54.31 $
(84.41 A$)
     +8.1 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 97.00 $
(150.76 A$)
107.96 $
(167.79 A$)
     +11.3 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 144.31 $
(224.30 A$)
107.77 $
(167.50 A$)
     -25.3 %
Rent Per Month
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,233.33 $
(3,471.11 A$)
1,541.35 $
(2,395.61 A$)
     -31.0 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,887.50 $
(2,933.61 A$)
1,203.21 $
(1,870.06 A$)
     -36.3 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 3,697.50 $
(5,746.76 A$)
2,998.53 $
(4,660.40 A$)
     -18.9 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,937.50 $
(4,565.55 A$)
1,768.18 $
(2,748.16 A$)
     -39.8 %
Buy Apartment Price
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 350.00 $
(543.98 A$)
644.72 $
(1,002.04 A$)
     +84.2 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 300.00 $
(466.26 A$)
520.25 $
(808.59 A$)
     +73.4 %
Salaries And Financing
Fairfax, VA Edit Melbourne Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 6,382.59 $
(9,920.01 A$)
4,040.64 $
(6,280.07 A$)
     -36.7 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.58 6.24      -5.1 %
Last update: May 2025May 2025
Contributors in the past 12 months:24375