How much do you need to earn to live here, after Australia takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once Australia's tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in Melbourne is roughly $3,693/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think $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
Second-hand 1BR 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
All 9 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
Explore MelbournePlug in what you'd really earn. Get your take-home pay, neighborhoods within reach, and monthly savings.
Open calculatorTaxes, nearby cities, and side-by-sides.
We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after Australia's income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
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.