Living in Melbourne: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In Melbourne, a one-bedroom home costs about $2,220 (≈ €1,360) a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in London, you need about $3,880 (≈ €2,380) net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Work out my budget in Melbourne
Example: the same life, elsewhere
A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Melbourne, they would need about $3,880 (≈ €2,380) net a month locally (−39%), i.e. 1 times the National Minimum Wage.
For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about $6,610 (≈ €4,060) net a month in Melbourne, i.e. 1.8 times the National Minimum Wage.
Calculated on 3 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.
Rent in Melbourne
A one-bedroom home in Melbourne costs about 4% more than the median of the 10 other cities tracked in the country.
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas | Sought-after areas | Outside sought-after areas, in euros |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,220 | $2,530 | €1,360 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,220 | $2,530 | €1,360 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,660 | $3,240 | €1,630 |
| 3-bedroom house | $2,440 | $3,990 | €1,500 |
Monthly rent in AUD, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². Rental bonds for new leases, published by each state: NSW (DCJ, April-June 2026), Victoria (DFFH, July-September 2025), Queensland (RTA, April-June 2026), South Australia (April-June 2026), Western Australia and Tasmania (leases from June to August 2026), updated with the ABS rent index (July 2026).
A month’s budget in Melbourne, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in London, here is what each line would cost in Melbourne.
| Item | London | Melbourne | Melbourne (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | £2,550 | £1,160 | $2,220 |
| Housing tax | £50 | £0 | $0 |
| Electricity, water, gas | £100 | £80 | $150 |
| Groceries | £200 | £250 | $470 |
| Restaurants and outings | £110 | £140 | $270 |
| Transport | £100 | £80 | $150 |
| Health | £40 | £0 | $0 |
| Phone and internet | £50 | £50 | $90 |
| Sport | £60 | £60 | $110 |
| Clothes | £60 | £50 | $100 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | £40 | £40 | $80 |
| Trips back to London | £0 | £130 | $240 |
| Total per month | £3,350 | £2,030 | $3,870 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in Australia.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in Melbourne?
For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about $3,880 (≈ €2,380) net a month, i.e. 1 times the National Minimum Wage.
How much is rent in Melbourne?
About $2,220 (≈ €1,360) a month for a one-bedroom home and $2,660 for a two-bedroom home, according to Rental bonds for new leases, published by each state.
Is it expensive to live in Melbourne?
In London, a single person spends about £3,350 a month; with the same life in Melbourne, it would be about £2,030 (−39%).
Work out my budget in Melbourne