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Melbourne

Victoria, Australia

Comparable in size to Sydney with somewhat lower housing costs, a large university sector and a notably variable climate.

Population
5,200,000
Climate
temperate
Typical download speed
100 Mbit/s

Indicative

One-bed, city centre
A$2,100 – A$2,900
One-bed, outside centre
A$1,600 – A$2,200
Monthly budget, one adult
A$3,500 – A$5,000

Getting around

Tram, train and bus under the Myki system; the tram network is the largest in the world.

What people work in here

  • Higher education
  • Healthcare
  • Technology
  • Manufacturing

Cost of living

We do not hold a Melbourne cost series, so this is the Australia country-wide estimate. Use the rent figures above for the local picture.

Estimated monthly costs by category
CategoryMonthly range
HousingA$1,700 – A$3,000
FoodA$550 – A$900
UtilitiesA$180 – A$350
InternetA$70 – A$110
TransportA$150 – A$400
HealthcareA$0 – A$250
Everything elseA$350 – A$750
TotalA$3,000 – A$5,760
Suggested monthly bufferA$6,912
Estimate

Modelled from a baseline for one adult and scaled, not sampled from households. Figures are shown as ranges because that is the honest shape of the data.

Researched, not independently verifiedlow confidenceReviewed 20 September 2026

Worth knowing. Modelled estimate. Temporary visa holders are generally outside Medicare unless their country has a reciprocal agreement, which pushes the healthcare line up.

Immigration

Immigration is decided nationally, not by city. Which routes are open to you, what they require and how long they take are all on the Australia guide.

See the routes into Australia

Researched, not independently verifiedlow confidenceReviewed 20 September 2026

Worth knowing. Modelled estimates, not survey data.

Reference dataset, compiled 20 September 2026. This is a compiled reference dataset. Every figure is drawn from official material and cited, but no record has been signed off by a named editor working through the review console, so nothing here is marked verified. Immigration rules change without notice and consulates apply them differently. Check the linked authority before you act on anything. This site is not legal advice.