Adelaide vs Melbourne Cost of Living
Adelaide (Australia) · Overall index 57.8 — Melbourne (Australia) · Overall index 65.3
Summary
- Overall, Melbourne is 13% more expensive than Adelaide.
- Rent in Melbourne is 28% more expensive than in Adelaide.
- Telecom in Melbourne is 18% more expensive than in Adelaide.
| Item | Adelaide | Melbourne | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +28% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,609 | $2,062 | +28% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $922 | $1,117 | +21% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,858 | $3,536 | +24% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,751 | $2,437 | +39% |
| Groceries | +7% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.02 | $0.97 | -5% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.31 | $3.2 | -3% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.61 | $3.75 | +4% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.89 | $3.69 | -5% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $10.7 | $10.3 | -4% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.2 | $10.3 | +1% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.6 | $15.1 | +3% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.59 | $4.14 | -10% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.38 | $1.56 | +13% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.55 | $4.16 | +17% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.54 | $5.03 | +11% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.02 | $2.75 | +36% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.95 | $2.45 | +26% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.14 | $1.98 | -7% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.66 | $2.08 | +25% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.9 | $13.8 | +16% |
| Transport | +7% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.94 | $1.9 | -2% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $87.3 | $93 | +7% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.76 | $2.96 | +7% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.3 | $1.32 | +2% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.58 | $0.76 | +31% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $19,332 | $19,348 | 0% |
| Dining out | +7% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.3 | $17 | +11% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $89.8 | $92.3 | +3% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.9 | $9.69 | +23% |
| Cappuccino | $4.09 | $4.01 | -2% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.69 | $1.91 | +13% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.62 | $5.35 | -5% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.38 | $6.13 | -4% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.48 | $1.8 | +22% |
| Telecom | +18% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.5 | $47.6 | 0% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $50 | $60.5 | +21% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.23 | $0.3 | +30% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.9 | $13.5 | +24% |
| Utilities & household | +14% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $141 | $155 | +10% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.19 | +27% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.54 | $4.24 | +20% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.06 | $1.3 | +23% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $17.5 | $19.4 | +11% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $58.1 | $74.6 | +28% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $10.2 | $13.5 | +32% |
| Men's haircut | $25 | $24.3 | -3% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $20.9 | $18.5 | -11% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,496 | $1,717 | +15% |
3,449 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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