Christchurch vs Melbourne Cost of Living
Christchurch (New Zealand) · Overall index 53.3 — Melbourne (Australia) · Overall index 65.3
Summary
- Overall, Melbourne is 23% more expensive than Christchurch.
- Rent in Melbourne is 45% more expensive than in Christchurch.
- Utilities & household in Melbourne is 26% more expensive than in Christchurch.
| Item | Christchurch | Melbourne | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +45% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,425 | $2,062 | +45% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $864 | $1,117 | +29% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,563 | $3,536 | +38% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,443 | $2,437 | +69% |
| Groceries | +16% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.98 | $0.97 | -1% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.69 | $3.2 | +19% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.56 | $3.75 | +5% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.05 | $3.69 | +21% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.32 | $10.3 | +11% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.22 | $10.3 | +12% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.8 | $15.1 | +2% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.21 | $4.14 | -2% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.55 | $1.56 | +1% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.25 | $4.16 | +28% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.83 | $5.03 | +31% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.87 | $2.75 | +47% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.06 | $2.45 | +19% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.78 | $1.98 | +11% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $2.08 | +28% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.7 | $13.8 | +29% |
| Transport | +23% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.64 | $1.9 | +16% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $74.4 | $93 | +25% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.23 | $2.96 | +33% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.22 | $1.32 | +8% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.56 | $0.76 | +36% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $16,194 | $19,348 | +19% |
| Dining out | +19% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.8 | $17 | +8% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $74.1 | $92.3 | +25% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.26 | $9.69 | +33% |
| Cappuccino | $3.3 | $4.01 | +22% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.81 | $1.91 | +6% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.53 | $5.35 | +18% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.3 | $6.13 | +16% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.46 | $1.8 | +23% |
| Telecom | +9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $49.9 | $47.6 | -5% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $54.5 | $60.5 | +11% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.27 | $0.3 | +11% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.3 | $13.5 | +19% |
| Utilities & household | +26% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $155 | +37% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.19 | +36% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.65 | $4.24 | +16% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.9 | $1.3 | +44% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $14.9 | $19.4 | +30% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $54.8 | $74.6 | +36% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.83 | $13.5 | +37% |
| Men's haircut | $24.6 | $24.3 | -1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $18.3 | $18.5 | +1% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,290 | $1,717 | +33% |
3,549 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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