Melbourne in 4 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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Melbourne in 4 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
Four days rounds out the city with a full day of food-focused neighbourhoods on top of the laneways, MCG, Fitzroy and gardens from a shorter trip. Nothing new on Day 4 costs more than a tram fare and a meal. Prefer a shorter or longer trip? See the 2-day , 3-day , 6-day or 7-day versions.
Book these before you go:
- Your ETA (subclass 601, ~$20 via the app) or eVisitor (subclass 651, free for EU/UK) - required before you fly
- The St Kilda penguin viewing on Day 2, free but a timed reservation that books out
- Eureka Skydeck tickets for Day 3 (~$30-40) if you want the view
- Accommodation, especially around the AFL Grand Final (Sat 26 Sep 2026) or Melbourne Cup (Tue 3 Nov 2026) - compare rates on Booking.com
Day 1: Laneways, both NGVs and the Yarra
Walk the CBD laneway circuit (Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Degraves Street, Centre Place, the 1892 Block Arcade and 1870 Royal Arcade), all free. Federation Square holds the free Ian Potter Centre/NGV Australia and ACMI; cross to NGV International on St Kilda Road in the afternoon for the second, separate NGV building, also free. Finish along the Yarra at Southbank.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Laneways, arcades, both NGV buildings, ACMI | Free |
| Yarra River, Southbank | Free |
Day 2: MCG, Queen Victoria Market and St Kilda
Walk the MCG for free, or add the tour and Australian Sports Museum for around $38. Queen Victoria Market (since 1878) is free to browse. Tram to St Kilda for the beach, pier and Luna Park’s exterior, staying for the penguins at dusk - free, reservation required.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| MCG self-guided walk, Queen Victoria Market | Free |
| MCG tour + Sports Museum | ~$38 (optional) |
| St Kilda penguins at dusk | Free, reservation required |
Day 3: Fitzroy, Carlton, the gardens and a skyline view
Fitzroy for street art and vintage shops, then Carlton’s Lygon Street, the birthplace of Australia’s espresso culture (Pellegrini’s, since 1954). Afternoon in the free Royal Botanic Gardens and Shrine of Remembrance. Close at Eureka Skydeck (~$30-40) for the view, or skip it and keep the day free.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Fitzroy, Lygon Street, Botanic Gardens, Shrine | Free |
| Eureka Skydeck | ~$30-40 (optional) |
Day 4: Richmond, Brunswick and the bay
Lunch on Richmond’s Victoria Street, Melbourne’s “Little Saigon” and a genuinely cheap Vietnamese strip. In the afternoon, head to Brunswick’s Sydney Road for its multicultural shops and live-music venues, both free to browse. If the weather’s good, tram out to Melbourne’s own bayside for the colourful Brighton bathing boxes - they’re in Melbourne itself, not on the Mornington Peninsula, so no long trip is needed. Close the trip with a browse through South Melbourne Market or Prahran Market for a different set of stalls than Queen Victoria Market.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Richmond Vietnamese lunch | Meal cost only, no entry fee |
| Brunswick (Sydney Road) browsing | Free |
| Brighton bathing boxes (viewing) | Free |
| South Melbourne / Prahran Market browsing | Free |
Is 4 days enough for Melbourne?
Four days covers the laneways, both NGV buildings, the MCG, St Kilda, Fitzroy, Carlton, the gardens, Richmond, Brunswick and the bay - a genuinely complete look at the city itself. What’s still missing is Victoria beyond Melbourne: the Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley, Phillip Island and the rest, which belong in Melbourne, Australia: Budget Day-Trip Base and its own itineraries.
Do you need a car for this itinerary?
No. All four days run on foot and tram, with a Myki needed for any leg outside the Free Tram Zone (which is most of Day 4).
For the wider free-and-cheap picture, see the Melbourne budget guide and check Melbourne’s essential facts .
One real cost-saver: eat your one “destination” meal in Richmond rather than the CBD - the same style of Vietnamese cooking costs noticeably less a few tram stops out than it does in the laneways.