While the cost of living in Melbourne will obviously vary from family to family, the following is an indication of what you might expect to spend, as a family with two children.
| Item Description | Price (AU$) |
|---|---|
| Accomodation | |
| Rent for a three bedroom family home | 1000 /wk |
| Utilities | |
| Gas | 150 (3 months) |
| Electricity | 200 (3 months) |
| Water | 100 (3 months) |
| Food | |
| Milk, pasteurised whole milk (1 L) | 2.07 |
| Butter, table quality (500 g) | 3.54 |
| Eggs, large, grade A (12) | 4.50 |
| Bread, white sliced toast (1 kg) | 4.25 |
| Rice, long-grain (1 kg) | 2.39 |
| Spaghetti (1 kg) | 3.98 |
| Sugar, granulated white (1 kg) | 1.54 |
| Flour, for baking, white (1 kg) | 2.46 |
| Instant coffee (125 g) | 10.50 |
| Ground coffee (500 g) | 22.30 |
| Coca-Cola (1 L) | 4.25 |
| Olive oil (1 L) | 16.50 |
| Potatoes (1 kg) | 3.22 |
| Garlic (150 g) | 1.11 |
| Tomatoes (1 kg) | 5.98 |
| Apples (1 kg) | 4.98 |
| Beef, filet mignon, chateaubriand (1 kg) | 36.00 |
| Beef, lean ground for hamburgers (1 kg) | 11.99 |
| Ham, sliced cooked for sandwiches (1 kg) | 18.48 |
| Chicken, whole, ready for roasting (1 kg) | 12.70 |
| Table salt, fine (500 g) | 1.27 |
| Ice cream, vanilla (1 L) | 8.00 |
| Transport | |
| Taxi Ride (30 minute trip) | 50 |
| Weekly Met Ticket | 30 |
| Petrol | 1.30/litre |
| Leisure | |
| Cinema ticket | 18 (child’s price: 11) |
| Opera/ballet ticket | 75 |
| Gym membership | 80/month |
| Meal for 2 in upmarket restaurant | 450 (inc drinks) |
| Meal for 4 in family restaurant | 100 (inc drinks) |
| School fees | |
| Public Primary | 300/year (optional) |
| Public High School | 500/year (optional) |
| Private Primary | 10,000/year (compulsary) |
| Private High School | 20,000/year (compulsary) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Cable TV | 100/month |
| Home internet | 80/month |
| Mobile phone | 80/month |
| Landline | 50/month |
| 1h of housekeeping | 35 |
| 1h of babysitter | 20-30 |
| Shirt dry cleaning | 6 |
