🇦🇺 Sydney vs 🇦🇺 Melbourne
Cost of Living Comparison (2026)
Melbourne is 20% cheaper than Sydney
Quick answer
Comparing Sydney, Australia and Melbourne, Australia: a moderate single-person monthly budget is approximately $4,306 in Sydney versus $3,443 in Melbourne. Melbourne is roughly 20% cheaper overall. Central 1-bed rent: $2,356/mo (Sydney) vs $1,623/mo (Melbourne). The totals use the single-person city-centre basket: canonical 1-bedroom city-centre rent plus modeled groceries, dining, transport, utilities/internet, healthcare, and leisure/personal spending.
Key facts
- Moderate budget: $4,306/mo in Sydney single person — city-centre rent + modeled non-housing categories.
- Moderate budget: $3,443/mo in Melbourne single person — like-for-like city-centre basket.
- Central 1-bed rent $2,356/mo in Sydney · $1,623/mo in Melbourne.
- Cheaper overall: Melbourne ~20% cheaper than Sydney.
- Source World Bank ICP + national statistics · CC BY 4.0.
Monthly Budget Comparison
| Lifestyle | 🇦🇺 Sydney | 🇦🇺 Melbourne | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $3,000/mo | $2,400/mo | -20% |
| Moderate | $4,306/mo | $3,443/mo | -20% |
| Comfortable | $6,450/mo | $5,150/mo | -20% |
The Moderate row equals the category table below: single-person city-centre basket: canonical 1-bedroom city-centre rent plus modeled groceries, dining, transport, utilities/internet, healthcare, and leisure/personal spending. Budget and Comfortable scale that same basket.
Cost Breakdown by Category
| Category | 🇦🇺 Sydney | 🇦🇺 Melbourne | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1-bed, center) | $2,356/mo | $1,623/mo | -31% |
| Groceries & Food | $600/mo | $560/mo | -7% |
| Dining Out | $300/mo | $280/mo | -7% |
| Transport | $300/mo | $280/mo | -7% |
| Utilities & Internet | $300/mo | $280/mo | -7% |
| Healthcare | $240/mo | $224/mo | -7% |
| Leisure & Personal | $210/mo | $196/mo | -7% |
Category sum = Moderate budget. Basis: single-person city-centre basket: canonical 1-bedroom city-centre rent plus modeled groceries, dining, transport, utilities/internet, healthcare, and leisure/personal spending.
Quick Facts
🇦🇺 Sydney
- Monthly cost (moderate)
- $4,306
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $2,356/mo
- Cappuccino
- $4.50
- Inexpensive meal
- $18.00
- Monthly transit pass
- $120
- Internet speed
- 95 Mbps
- Safety index
- 85/100(very safe)
- Healthcare index
- 97/100
- Country
- Australia
🇦🇺 Melbourne
- Monthly cost (moderate)
- $3,443
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $1,623/mo
- Cappuccino
- $4.20
- Inexpensive meal
- $16.00
- Monthly transit pass
- $105
- Internet speed
- 90 Mbps
- Safety index
- 82/100(very safe)
- Healthcare index
- 97/100
- Country
- Australia
Explore more: Sydney city guide | Melbourne city guide | Australia