Melbourne Grammar School
National
Confirmed on its own website
Cost of Living inMelbourne, Australia
Victoria, Australia5.4MHigh incomeRemote-work friendly
Image credit: Bob Tan
Purchasing Power vs. United States
Your money goes 6% further
Based on GDP per capita (PPP). Australia: $60,194/capita.
How Far Your Money Goes
Prices are 24% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Overall
1.3x further
Prices are 24% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Rent
2.5x further
Prices are 60% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Groceries
1.2x further
Prices are 14% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Restaurants
1.4x further
Prices are 30% lower than the global benchmark (New York City = 100).
Income Category
High
World Bank GNI
GDP per Capita
$60,194
PPP, International $
City Population
5.4M
Monthly Costs
Rent
1BR City Center$1,755/mo
1BR Outside Center$1,302/mo
3BR City Center$3,368/mo
3BR Outside Center$2,432/mo
Food
Cheap Meal$18
Mid-Range (2 people)$85
Milk (1L)$1.92
Eggs (12)$6.09
Transport
Monthly Pass$140
Gasoline (1L)$1.30
Utilities
Basic (85m² apt)$221/mo
Internet (60+ Mbps)$53/mo
Education
Preschool$2,333/mo
Intl Primary School$31,159/yr
Child Education
Public-school quality + expat access, alongside international and private school cost — the two paths a relocating family weighs.
Public schools
This describes Australia as a whole. Enrollment rules and school quality can vary within the country, so check with schools in Melbourne.
Quality
Good public schools
Assessment snapshot: 2022
Expat access
Open to resident families
openInstruction
English
Language fit is more manageable.
PISA / outcomes
488
Above OECD avg
📐 487 (+15)🔬 507 (+22)📖 498 (+22)
PISA 2022 · OECD avg ~480
Why this quality rating
Australia has a solid public school system with generally good outcomes, particularly in English-medium states. Quality varies somewhat by state and local school area.
Why the expat-access rating looks like this
Resident families can typically enroll in local public schools. Some areas require proof of residency and vaccination records, but the system is broadly accessible.
🗺️ Homeschooling
Varies by state/territoryRegistration requiredCurriculum approvalPeriodic assessment
Legal in all states and territories with registration required. NSW, Victoria, and Queensland have structured requirements including learning plans. Some states provide funding or access to resources. Registration processes vary significantly.
Homeschool legality in Australia — check current regulations before committing.
Source: User-curated family relocation research (initial seed) (2026-04-14)
International & private schools
2 confirmed schools
1 more suggested by AI, not verified
Typical fee
$29,211/yr
median of 2 schools' published fees
- National2
Caulfield Grammar School
National
Confirmed on its own website
Schools' websites are found with Wikidata and OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), and each is checked on the school's own site.
Childcare & Domestic Help
Current nanny and household-help pricing snapshot for Melbourne, Australia.
Full-time nanny (5 days)
$3,600-$4,800
monthly · confidence 0.65
Live-in / 24-7 nanny
$4,300-$5,800
monthly · confidence 0.65
Source: curated family relocation research
Getting Around
The concrete mobility picture for Melbourne: airport access, urban transit, and rideshare practicality.
Walkability score: 79/100 (transit supported). This is derived from the verified mobility profile and is used by the walkability gate.
Walkability
79/100
mobility profile transit backbone
Airport
Major international hub
Melbourne Airport is one of Australia’s busiest gateways and combines dense domestic service with strong Asia-Pacific and long-haul connectivity.
Urban transit
Rail, tram, and bus network
metrocommuter railtrambus
Melbourne combines a strong suburban rail backbone with one of the world’s largest tram networks, making many family districts workable without a car.
Rideshare
Uber available
Uber is established in Melbourne and works well for airport runs, late-night gaps, and lower-frequency suburban trips.
Source: User-curated family relocation research (initial seed) (2026-04-14)
Healthcare
System strength, outcome signals, facility coverage, and self-pay visibility in Australia.
Method: country metrics come from public system indicators, facility coverage reflects mapped providers we can inventory, direct pricing only reflects observed self-pay pages, and relative care cost can fall back to broad cost-of-living healthcare indices. Sparse pricing does not imply sparse healthcare availability.
943 facilities tracked
Facilities updated 7 months ago
Healthcare system
StrongHigh national coverage, strong doctor availability, and deep nursing capacity support this rating.
Public care
StrongBroad public coverage, strong public funding, and relatively low patient cost-sharing support this rating.
Private care
GoodA large tracked hospital and clinic network and a clearly private facility base help, but self-pay pricing transparency is still sparse.
UHC coverage
89/100
2023
Physicians
4.09/1k
2022
Hospital beds
3.82/1k
2016
Out of pocket
16%
2023
Outcome signals
Life expectancy
83.1 yrs
2024
Maternal mortality
2/100k
2023
Neonatal mortality
2.3/1k
2024
International patient readiness
GoodA visible private hospital base and multiple facilities have websites help, but price transparency is still sparse.
Pricing transparency
LimitedMultiple facilities have crawlable websites help, but published self-pay prices are scarce.
Facility coverage
Pharmacy: 252Clinic: 205Dentist: 191Doctor: 179Physiotherapy: 57Hospital: 56Laboratory: 3
Self-pay pricing visibility
No verified self-pay prices are published for the tracked facilities in Australia yet.
This usually reflects low online price transparency rather than a lack of healthcare providers.
Notable facilities
System metrics: World Bank WDI · Updated 2026-11-01
Safety & Governance
Street Safety
Safety Index56/100
Crime Index44/100
Source: Numbeo where a city row is matched; otherwise World Bank WGI and country-level safety context.
Political Stability
Political Stability+0.97
World Bank WGI scale: -2.5 to +2.5.
Wages by Sector
| Sector | Median |
|---|---|
| Agriculture & Farming | — |
| Construction | — |
| Finance & Insurance | — |
| Information & Technology | — |
| Manufacturing | — |
| Real Estate | — |
2023 annual wages in Melbourne, Australia · Source: ABS (region-adjusted)
Price Comparison vs. US
beer
$6.50Estimated16% cheaper
big mac
$5.85Estimated6% cheaper
budget hotel
$343.02Survey-verified845% more
childcare preschool
$2333.11Estimated50% more
cinema
$14.00Estimated15% cheaper
coca cola
$2.00Estimated7% cheaper
eggs dozen
$6.09Estimated27% more
gasoline liter
$35.10Survey-verified3308% more
inexpensive meal
$26.40Survey-verified25% more
internet 60mbps
$53.12Estimated22% cheaper
iphone
$1099.00Estimated10% more
jeans
$75.00Estimated46% more
latte
$3.50Estimated34% cheaper
luxury hotel
$343.02Survey-verified28% cheaper
mcmeal
$26.40Survey-verified161% more
milk liter
$1.92Estimated57% more
monthly pass
$35.10Survey-verified49% cheaper
nike shoes
$100.00Estimated10% more
rent 1br
$1948.01Survey-verified7% more
rent 2br
$1948.01Survey-verified55% cheaper
rent 3br
$3367.57Estimated6% more
subway fare
$35.10Survey-verified1356% more
utilities basic
$221.32Estimated3% more
Visa Information (US passport)
Short-stay entry
eta
US passport holders need advance travel authorization or a visa before entry.
Long-Term Visa Programs
working holiday
Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462)12 months
working holiday
Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)12 monthsRenewable
Quick comparison FAQ
Structured from the deltas already shown on this page — no invented facts, no extra data sources.
How far does your money go in Melbourne compared with the US?
Your money goes about 1.1x further in Melbourne than in the US, based on the current PPP estimate.
Is Melbourne cheaper or more expensive overall than New York City?
Melbourne is cheaper overall than New York City — overall living costs are about 24% cheaper than the global benchmark (New York City) for Melbourne.
How does rent in Melbourne compare with New York City?
Rent in Melbourne is about 60% cheaper than the global benchmark (New York City).
How expensive are groceries and restaurants in Melbourne?
Groceries in Melbourne are about 14% cheaper than the global benchmark (New York City), and restaurant prices are about 30% cheaper than the same benchmark.
About Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and Australia's second-largest city, frequently ranked alongside Sydney for liveability but with a distinct character. It is flatter, more grid-planned, and built around tram lines rather than a harbor, which makes inner-suburb life more walkable and meaningfully cheaper than equivalent Sydney addresses. The economy leans toward universities, healthcare, and professional services rather than finance, and the city absorbs a steady flow of skilled migrants and international students. Climate is the famous variable: cool oceanic with sharp daily swings, regularly described as four seasons in one day. Relocators trading down from Sydney typically gain housing value while accepting greyer winters.
Excellent internet quality with reliable NBN and mobile coverageTemperate climate with mild winters but frequent rainLarge and well-established expat and digital nomad communityHighly walkable inner suburbs with excellent public transportWorld-renowned cafe culture and food sceneVibrant nightlife with diverse venues and eventsAbundant coworking spaces and remote work infrastructureVery safe city with low crime rates
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