Aussie on a Budget: Is it cheaper in Adelaide than Melbourne?
If you’re eyeing the Land Down Under as your new home, we advise you to consider Adelaide and Melbourne. Both are fantastic cities filled with wonderful opportunities, perfect for students, expats, families, and more!
Of course, one of the first things you should consider is the cost of living.
I’ve got you covered. In this article, I’ll go through the differences between both cities in terms of cost of living, daily transportation costs, utility costs, and the like.
Is Adelaide cheaper than Melbourne?
Adelaide has a cheaper monthly cost of living than Melbourne. Specifically, it’s about 12% cheaper to live in Adelaide according to Living Cost.
As we can see in the table below, this applies to those who live alone or with a family.
| Adelaide | Melbourne | |
| Cost of living for 1 person | $1,915 | $2,154 |
| Cost of living for a family of 4 | $4,598 | $5,060 |
To give you an idea about the rest of the article, you should know that Adelaide consistently ranks as one of the most affordable capital cities in Australia.
Partnered with the fact that our city is the most liveable in Australia, Adelaide is definitely an easy choice for those who want to move to Australia.
Is housing cheaper in Adelaide than in Melbourne?
Adelaide’s housing costs (apartments and houses) are more affordable than in Melbourne.
As we can see in the table below (data from Budget Direct), Melbourne’s prices are higher for rent both inside and outside the CBD.
| Adelaide | Melbourne | |
| Rent for 1 bedroom apartment in CBD | $1,604.44 | $1,609.62 |
| Rent for 1 bedroom apartment outside CBD | $1,211.88 | $1,368.30 |
| Rent for 3 bedroom apartment in CBD | $2,572.22 | $3,168.64 |
| Rent for 3 bedroom apartment outside CBD | $1,797.69 | $2,048.22 |
If you’re planning to buy a property, you should also be mindful of their median property rates. A summary of Real Estate’s and Open Agent’s numbers can be seen below.
| Types of property | Adelaide | Melbourne |
| Houses | $833,000 | $1,230,581 |
| Apartments | $465,000 | $588,528 |
Is utility cheaper in Adelaide than in Melbourne?
Between Adelaide and Melbourne, utility costs are more affordable in Adelaide.
A brief summary of utility costs between the two cities can be seen below. The numbers are from Finder.
| Utilities | Adelaide | Melbourne |
| For 1 person every month (heating, electricity, gas) | $140 | $170 |
| Internet | $76 | $75 |
The most significant difference between the two cities is in the cost of daily utilities for your home. The other prices aren’t so far from each other.
Is food cheaper in Adelaide than in Melbourne?
Food in Adelaide is a bit more expensive than in Melbourne, specifically for lunch in the CBD and in most grocery items.
A summary of the costs for food between the two cities based on numbers by Expatistan can be seen below.
| Food | Adelaide | Melbourne |
| Lunch in the CBD | $27 | $19 |
| Fast food combo meal | $14 | $14 |
| Boneless chicken breast | $6 | $7 |
| 1 liter of milk | $2.19 | $1.71 |
| 1 dozen eggs | $4.63 | $7 |
| 1 kg tomatoes | $7 | $7 |
| Local cheese | $11 | $8 |
| 1 kg of apples | $4.50 | $4.45 |
| 1 kg of potatoes | $4.10 | $3.28 |
| Domestic beer | $7 | $5.95 |
| Red wine | $19 | $20 |
Is transportation cheaper in Adelaide than in Melbourne?
The cost of transportation in Adelaide is slightly cheaper than in Melbourne. The main difference lies in the price of the monthly pass and in the price of gasoline.
As we can see in the numbers provided by Numbeo, Melbourne has higher rates except for taxi fares after 1 km.
Both cities have a convenient ticketing system, as everything can be paid under one card. Adelaide uses the MetroCard, while Melbourne uses Myki.
| Transportation | Adelaide | Melbourne |
| One-way ticket | $4.50 | $4.60 |
| Monthly pass | $110 | $165.00 |
| Taxi starting fare | $5 | $5 |
| Taxi fare after 1km | $2.80 | $2.85 |
| 1 liter gasoline | $1.98 | $2.10 |
| Volkswagen Golf* | $34,882 | $38,000 |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan* | $28,616.67 | $29,550.22 |
Are clothing expenses cheaper in Adelaide than in Melbourne?
Clothing in Adelaide is more expensive compared to Melbourne.
The price of usual clothing items in both cities can be seen below.
| Clothing | Adelaide | Melbourne |
| Jeans | $134.08 | $126.08 |
| Summer dress | $109.24 | $85.11 |
| Mid-priced running shoes | $200.45 | $178.55 |
A possible reasoning behind this price difference is that Adelaide has a smaller population and has less retail options, making competition lower.
