Melbourne Cost of Living
What it costs to live in Melbourne: consumer prices, wages, jobs, earnings and property, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Prices in Melbourne rose 4.0% in the year to Sep 2026, against 4.3% nationally: the 8th fastest rise of 8 capital cities. The all-groups index stood at 104.0.
Valid: Sep 2026 · Source: ABS Consumer Price Index (6401.0) · Index base: September 2025 = 100
Melbourne CPI over time
All-groups CPI index for Melbourne against the national index. A higher index means prices have risen more since September 2025. Hover for detail.
Price change by category in Melbourne
Annual change for each CPI category, year to Sep 2026.
- Automotive fuel +22.8%
- Electricity +16.7%
- Private motoring +9.6%
- Transport +8.0%
- Insurance +7.9%
- Utilities +7.1%
- Water and sewerage +7.0%
- Beef and veal +5.5%
- Milk +5.2%
- Medical and hospital services +5.0%
- Alcohol and tobacco +4.2%
- Housing +3.8%
- Take away and fast foods +3.5%
- Meals out and take away foods +3.4%
- Restaurant meals +3.3%
- Food and non-alcoholic beverages +2.9%
- Rents +2.5%
- Communication +2.3%
- Bread +2.3%
- Cheese +2.0%
- Motor vehicles +1.9%
- Poultry +0.3%
- Coffee, tea and cocoa −0.9%
- Pharmaceutical products −1.6%
- Gas and other household fuels −1.9%
- Eggs −3.4%
Inflation in each capital city
Annual change in the all-groups CPI for each capital city, fastest rise first.
| Rank | City | Annual change | Change, to scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hobart | +5.3% | |
| #2 | Darwin | +5.2% | |
| #3 | Adelaide | +5.0% | |
| #4 | Canberra | +4.7% | |
| #5 | Perth | +4.5% | |
| #6 | Brisbane | +4.4% | |
| #7 | Sydney | +4.3% | |
| #8 | Melbourne (this city) | +4.0% |
Wages in VIC
The Wage Price Index measures the change in hourly rates of pay. VIC against the national index, and wage growth less Melbourne inflation.
Employment in VIC
Unemployment rate and labour force participation for Victoria.
What VIC earns
Full-time adult average weekly earnings for Victoria. ABS Cat. 6302.0.
Housing in VIC
Mean dwelling price and affordability for Victoria. ABS Cat. 6432.0.
Mean dwelling price by state
- New South Wales $1,304,900
- Queensland $1,130,600
- Western Australia $1,123,700
- Australian Capital Territory $981,700
- South Australia $979,600
- Victoria $918,400
- Tasmania $733,200
- Northern Territory $614,400
Other capital cities
Prices, wages, jobs and property for each of the other capitals.