Melbourne is a classic city that reminds many visitors of San Francisco in some ways, as its art and food culture are notoriously the best in the country. Unfortunately Melbourne can also be very expensive for international travelers. The strength of the Australian dollar has been volatile in the past few years, and in early 2010 it has approached record levels against the USD and the Euro, so things will be particularly expensive for most people until that changes.
Fortunately there aren’t a lot of must-see expensive attractions in Melbourne so if you are mostly coming to look around the city center and visit the various neighborhoods then things won’t get out of hand during the day. And you can still take the tram loop around the CBD that has running commentary pointing out the sights, for free.
| Population | 3,900,000 |
| Area | 3,900,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+10 |
| Currency | Australian dollar |
| Airports | Melbourne Airport (MEL) |
Melbourne is obviously a huge city and prices are especially high in the central business district. It’s hard to find bargains, even at fast food restaurants, so some self catering can be wise if your budget is on the lower side.
| Budget breakfast | If your hotel doesn't include breakfast then bakeries and fast food are among the cheaper options. | $4.58 - $7.84 |
| Budget lunch | Pubs in Melbourne often have affordable meal specials that are good lunch deals. | $5.88 - $9.80 |
| Budget dinner | Melbourne is a foodie town and most sit-down restaurants are more expensive than this, but some exceptions are out there. | $7.84 - $13.07 |
| Beer (pint) | Local lagers are your cheapest options, while better imports will cost more. | $3.92 - $6.54 |
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 79 | 58 | 1.9 |
| February | 78 | 58 | 1.9 |
| March | 75 | 56 | 2.0 |
| April | 69 | 51 | 2.3 |
| May | 62 | 47 | 2.2 |
| June | 57 | 44 | 1.9 |
| July | 56 | 43 | 1.9 |
| August | 59 | 44 | 2.3 |
| September | 63 | 46 | 2.0 |
| October | 67 | 49 | 2.6 |
| November | 71 | 52 | 2.3 |
| December | 76 | 55 | 2.3 |
Melbourne locals love to remind visitors that you can often experience four seasons in one day in the city. The weather is usually pleasant and mild, but it’s definitely true that it can be sunny and warm one minute and then pouring rain only a few minutes later, and then back again. This is definitely a city where you have to wear layers and be prepared for changes, especially if you are setting out for an ourdoor activity.
Summers are generally cooler than Sydney, but still plenty warm enough to enjoy a day at one of the nearby beaches. Winters tend to be mild and often windy, but snow is very rare so it’s not something to worry about. Even for all the talk of its volatile weather, it doesn’t rain much in Melbourne at any time of the year, but there is always the risk of a quick downpour or even a steady light drizzle.
| 21 Mar | 7:23am | 7:31pm |
| 21 Jun | 7:36am | 5:08pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:12am | 6:15pm |
| 21 Dec | 5:54am | 8:42pm |
Standards of everything are generally high so finding cheap hotels and hostels isn’t as easy here as it is in many other places. There aren’t many street-food options either so if you want a cheap meal then you’ll have to consider fast food or self catering.
Hotels in Melbourne stay fairly busy throughout the year, though the official high season is definitely during summer, from December through March. The peak season here is during the Christmas holiday period, so if you want to come then you are best off booking as far ahead as possible.
The low season is during the winter months, from May through July, but prices don’t change dramatically between seasons. You are more likely to find vacancies and maybe a promotion going on during this time, but hotels here tend to be fairly expensive year round.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 27.45 - 49.02 |
| 33.99 - 94.77 |
| 42.48 - 84.31 |
| 58.17 - 181.70 |
| 123.53 - 256.21 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 4.58 - 20.92 |