Melbourne vs San Francisco Cost of Living
Melbourne (Australia) · Overall index 65.3 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 46% more expensive than Melbourne.
- Rent in San Francisco is 98% more expensive than in Melbourne.
- Transport in San Francisco is 46% more expensive than in Melbourne.
| Item | Melbourne | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +98% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,062 | $3,208 | +56% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,117 | $2,609 | +134% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,536 | $7,487 | +112% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,437 | $4,864 | +100% |
| Groceries | +28% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.97 | $1.31 | +35% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.2 | $4.2 | +31% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.75 | $5.82 | +55% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.69 | $4.57 | +24% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $10.3 | $16.3 | +58% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.3 | $12.6 | +22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.1 | $22.3 | +48% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.14 | $5.88 | +42% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.56 | $2.46 | +58% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.16 | $4.54 | +9% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.03 | $5.5 | +9% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.75 | $3.06 | +11% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.45 | $2.72 | +11% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.98 | $2.75 | +39% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.08 | $2.41 | +16% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $13.8 | $15.4 | +12% |
| Transport | +46% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.9 | $3.1 | +63% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $93 | $139 | +49% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.96 | $4.48 | +51% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.32 | $1.91 | +45% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.76 | $0.99 | +30% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $19,348 | $27,640 | +43% |
| Dining out | +37% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17 | $21.5 | +26% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $92.3 | $115 | +25% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.69 | $11.6 | +20% |
| Cappuccino | $4.01 | $5.52 | +38% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.91 | $3.04 | +59% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.35 | $8.59 | +61% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.13 | $8.71 | +42% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.8 | $2.32 | +29% |
| Telecom | +25% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.6 | $68.5 | +44% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $60.5 | $71.8 | +19% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.3 | $0.37 | +23% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.5 | $15.8 | +17% |
| Utilities & household | +28% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $155 | $176 | +14% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.23 | +21% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.24 | $5.1 | +20% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.3 | $1.47 | +13% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $19.4 | $25.8 | +33% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.6 | $94.8 | +27% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $13.5 | $17.5 | +30% |
| Men's haircut | $24.3 | $33.2 | +37% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $18.5 | $29.6 | +60% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,717 | $2,199 | +28% |
3,453 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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