Popular cities
Canberra vs Melbourne cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฆ๐บ Canberra
๐ฆ๐บ Melbourne
At a glance
- Where Melbourne is clearly cheaper: Laundry (32%โ)
- Where Canberra is clearly cheaper: Transit (40%โ), Entry ticket (39%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Canberra is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Canberra 1 vs Melbourne 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Canberra | Melbourne | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | A$ 22$14.7 | A$ 24$16 | Canberra โ8% |
| Street food1 item | A$ 16$10.7 | A$ 15$10 | Melbourne โ6% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | A$ 48$32 | A$ 55$36.7 | Canberra โ13% |
| Coffeeone cup | A$ 5.2$3.47 | A$ 5.6$3.73 | Canberra โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | A$ 12$8 | A$ 14$9.33 | Canberra โ14% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | A$ 18$12 | A$ 20$13.3 | Canberra โ10% |
| Bottled water | A$ 3.5$2.33 | A$ 4$2.67 | Canberra โ12% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | A$ 4.5$3 | A$ 4.8$3.2 | Canberra โ6% |
| Taxi5 km in town | A$ 19$12.7 | A$ 18$12 | Melbourne โ5% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | A$ 11$7.33 | A$ 11$7.33 | similar |
| Transitone ride | A$ 3.41$2.27 | A$ 5.7$3.8 | Canberra โ40% |
| Scooter rentalper day | A$ 45$30 | A$ 40$26.7 | Melbourne โ11% |
| Hotel night3-star | A$ 190$127 | A$ 190$127 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | A$ 2,000$1,333 | A$ 2,150$1,433 | Canberra โ7% |
| Laundry | A$ 11$7.33 | A$ 7.5$5 | Melbourne โ32% |
| SIM card1 week data | A$ 30$20 | A$ 30$20 | similar |
| Haircutcut | A$ 35$23.3 | A$ 38$25.3 | Canberra โ8% |
| Massage1 hour | A$ 90$60 | A$ 85$56.7 | Melbourne โ6% |
| Half-day tourper person | A$ 80$53.3 | A$ 90$60 | Canberra โ11% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | A$ 23$15.3 | A$ 38$25.3 | Canberra โ39% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Canberra or Melbourne?
Canberra is 5% cheaper than Melbourne. Daily budget $247 vs $255; a month $4,867 vs $5,229.
Which is easier to travel, Canberra or Melbourne?
Canberra is easier: Canberra 1.4/5 vs Melbourne 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Canberra and Melbourne?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Canberra is about $4,867 and Melbourne about $5,229 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.