Affordability
Favourable "Cost of Living" in Ballarat
Early in 2006, the Victorian State Government commissioned a survey into the "Cost of Living" in Regional Victoria and compared the results with the cost of living in metropolitan Melbourne. The survey was carried out as part of the "Make it Happen in Provincial Victoria" initative.
The results clearly demonstrate that it is far more affordable to live in Ballarat, than it is to live in Melbourne:
| Item | Melbourne | Ballarat |
| Median House Price | $367,000 | $227,000 |
| Median Weekly Rental | $260 | $213 |
| Carparking/Hour | $5.00 | $0.60 |
| 2 Litres of Milk | $2.80 | $2.60 |
| A Loaf of Bread | $2.80 | $2.20 |
| A Cinema Ticket | $14.50 | $13.00 |
| A Man's Haircut | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| A Manicure | $30.00 | $25.00 |
| Delivery of Daily Newspaper/Week | $6.25 | $6.50 |
| Cafe Latte | $4.50 | $2.20 |
| Childcare/Day | $81.90 | $20.00 |
| Child's Swimming Lesson | $10.00 | $9.90 |
| Entry to Swimming Pool | $5.70 | $2.00 |
| Casual Gym Visit | $20.00 | $8.00 |
| Total | $836,450 | $504,000 |