✦ Compare
Sydney vs
Melbourne
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Melbourne, AU, you'd need
$69,387 / year
Melbourne, AU is 7% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Melbourne, AU vs Sydney, AU)
- Housing-15%
- Food & groceries-3%
- Transport-5%
- Utilities-2%
- Healthcare0%
- Goods & services-3%
▤ Full comparison
| Sydney, AU | Melbourne, AU | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 128 | 118 |
| Housing | 162 | 138 |
| Food | 115 | 112 |
| Transport | 105 | 100 |
| Utilities | 110 | 108 |
| Healthcare | 95 | 95 |
| Goods & services | 120 | 116 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $2,200/mo | $1,800/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,650/mo | $1,350/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $4,200/mo | $3,400/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $12,000 | $9,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $784 | $847 |
| Inexpensive meal | $18 | $17 |
| Monthly transit pass | $130 | $110 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 30% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,900/mo | $3,900/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,600/mo | $2,600/mo |
| GDP per capita | $65,000 | $65,000 |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Native | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 90 | 70 |
| Time zone | UTC+10 | UTC+10 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 74 | 68 |
| Healthcare index | 85 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 30 | 30 |
| Internet speed | 90 Mbps | 90 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 78 |
| Public transport | 80 | 80 |
| Family-friendly | 76 | 74 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 83 yr | 83 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +23 °C | +20 °C |
| July avg | +13 °C | +10 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 236 | 180 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,210 mm | 600 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 3 h | 1.5 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Australia vs Australia. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Is Sydney cheaper than Melbourne?
Melbourne is about 7% cheaper than Sydney overall — its cost-of-living index is 118 versus 128 for Sydney.
How much do you need to earn in Melbourne to live like in Sydney?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Sydney is worth about $69,387 in Melbourne. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Sydney or Melbourne?
Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (45%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.
◷ More comparisons from Sydney
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.