How much do you need to earn to live in Melbourne? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for Australia's tax system.
You need at least $3,693/month gross to live in Melbourne on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for $4,847/month gross ($4,064 net after ~16% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | $1,800 Cheapest neighborhood (Footscray) | $2,400 Median neighborhood | $2,600 Premium neighborhood (Prahran) |
| Groceries | $630 | $756 | $945 |
| Transport | $200 | $200 | $200 |
| Utilities | $300 | $300 | $300 |
| Dining & Entertainment | $340 | $408 | $510 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | $3,270 | $4,064 | $4,555 |
$3,693/month gross
$4,847/month gross
$5,570/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 9 neighborhoods in Melbourne
Footscray
12 min by metro
$1,800 - $2,100
Brunswick
15 min by tram
$2,000 - $2,300
St Kilda
20 min by tram
$2,100 - $2,500
Prahran
12 min by tram
$2,400 - $2,800
CBD Melbourne
0 min by walk
$2,400 - $2,800
South Yarra
10 min by metro
$2,300 - $2,700
See all 9 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore MelbourneEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after Australia's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least $3,693/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Melbourne. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for $4,847/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Australia.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 9 neighborhoods in Melbourne is approximately $2,356/month. Rents range from $1,800 in Footscray to $2,800 in Prahran.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Melbourne cost approximately $630. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Australia are progressive. At the budget salary level of $3,693/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 11%. At the comfortable level of $4,847/month, it rises to approximately 16%. This includes income tax and social contributions.