Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,533 in Barrie versus $2,894 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barrie versus $4,377 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,463 in Barrie versus $5,860 in Melbourne.

Living in Barrie costs roughly 12% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 84% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.63 CA$20.25

$17.95 A$25.05

-18.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 CA$81.0

$84.6 A$118

-30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 CA$15.93

$12.26 A$17.10

-6.20%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.14

$4.22 A$5.90

-12.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$3.16 A$4.40

-38.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$2.66 A$3.72

-43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.10

$9.98 A$13.93

-48.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 CA$7.83

$8.83 A$12.32

-35.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.89

$1.65 A$2.30

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$3.40 A$4.75

-26.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.66

$2.79 A$3.89

-5.02%

Eggs

$3.01 CA$4.17

$5.69 A$7.94

-47.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 CA$13.44

$11.30 A$15.77

-14.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 CA$20.10

$9.67 A$13.49

50.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 CA$32.34

$15.78 A$22.02

47.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.85

$4.19 A$5.85

0.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$3.02 A$4.21

-60.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$3.27 A$4.57

-4.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.63

$4.81 A$6.72

-15.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$3.26 A$4.55

-65.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$2.60 A$3.63

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$2.51 A$3.51

-11.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$1.64 A$2.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 CA$16.11

$46.11 A$64.3

-74.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 CA$14.59

$12.06 A$16.83

-12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$5.48 A$7.65

-52.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$5.15 A$7.19

-57.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$3.83 A$5.34

-34.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.7 CA$92.4

$144 A$202

-53.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.88

$4.31 A$6.02

-18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.47 A$2.05

-24.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.02 A$43.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.46 A$2.04

-23.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$29.5K A$41.2K

-3.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$27.7K A$38.7K

-24.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$237 CA$329

$242 A$338

-1.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.62 CA$49.32

$28.20 A$39.35

26.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 CA$106

$57.2 A$79.8

34.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.70 CA$56.4

$56.2 A$78.4

-27.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.27 CA$50.2

$21.71 A$30.29

67.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 CA$18.02

$17.89 A$24.96

-27.28%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,426 CA$1,974

$2,443 A$3,410

-41.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K A$46.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 CA$88.2

$82.1 A$115

-22.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 CA$62.4

$50.4 A$70.4

-10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CA$209

$126 A$176

20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 CA$117

$138 A$193

-38.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 CA$2,056

$1,774 A$2,475

-16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,752

$1,427 A$1,992

-11.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 CA$2,988

$3,504 A$4,889

-38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 CA$2,548

$2,517 A$3,512

-26.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,164 CA$7,150

$7,411 A$10.3K

-30.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,282 CA$5,929

$6,718 A$9,375

-36.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 CA$4,389

$4,478 A$6,249

-29.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

5.85

-20.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barrie: August 31, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,485 in Barrie and $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Barrie vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $397 per month, with Barrie cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barrie vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barrie and Melbourne differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,533 vs $2,894 including rent). Barrie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Melbourne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,485 in Barrie versus $1,774 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barrie runs roughly 117% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,426 in Barrie versus $2,443 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,533 in Barrie versus $2,894 in Melbourne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barrie but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Barrie the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barrie and Melbourne are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barrie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.