Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boracay and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Boracay: $772 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Boracay
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Boracay Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Boracay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$772

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boracay and in Melbourne

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boracay and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Boracay versus $2,821 in Melbourne.

Boracay $772
Melbourne $2,821

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,313 in Boracay versus $4,235 in Melbourne.

Boracay $1,313
Melbourne $4,235

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Boracay versus $5,650 in Melbourne.

Boracay $1,854
Melbourne $5,650

Living in Boracay costs roughly 73% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boracay is 43% below, Melbourne is 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 ₱361

$17.43 A$25.08

-67.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 ₱1,206

$84.6 A$122

-77.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 ₱374

$12.46 A$17.92

-52.33%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱149

$4.11 A$5.91

-42.34%

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

$0.70 ₱43.78

$3.06 A$4.40

-77.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₱14.44

$2.52 A$3.62

-90.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.0

$9.80 A$14.10

-88.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₱121

$8.57 A$12.33

-77.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 ₱186

$1.48 A$2.14

99.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₱61.9

$2.94 A$4.23

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₱56.3

$2.66 A$3.82

-66.54%

Eggs

$1.93 ₱122

$5.54 A$7.97

-65.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₱323

$10.51 A$15.13

-51.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 ₱301

$9.65 A$13.89

-50.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 ₱459

$15.22 A$21.91

-52.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ₱158

$3.99 A$5.75

-37.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱100

$3.02 A$4.34

-47.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₱139

$3.10 A$4.46

-28.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₱67.9

$4.82 A$6.93

-77.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 ₱133

$3.03 A$4.36

-30.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ₱127

$2.44 A$3.52

-17.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₱62.5

$2.46 A$3.54

-59.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₱35.84

$1.63 A$2.34

-65.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 ₱144

$44.07 A$63.4

-94.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₱489

$12.70 A$18.28

-38.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.5

$5.54 A$7.97

-82.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱110

$5.23 A$7.52

-66.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.09

$3.74 A$5.38

-93.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.23 ₱707

$138 A$198

-91.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 ₱41.52

$4.51 A$6.50

-85.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.18

$1.36 A$1.96

-83.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$30.45 A$43.81

-93.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$1.47 A$2.12

-24.49%

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

$23.7K ₱1.5M

$29.0K A$41.7K

-18.41%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$26.5K A$38.1K

-16.79%

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

$111 ₱6,979

$234 A$336

-52.57%

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

$14.23 ₱896

$27.93 A$40.19

-49.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.84 ₱2,131

$55.7 A$80.2

-39.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.95 ₱1,886

$49.40 A$71.1

-39.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.12 ₱323

$21.48 A$30.91

-76.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.26 ₱331

$15.09 A$21.72

-65.14%

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

$136 ₱8,591

$2,371 A$3,412

-94.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,041 ₱506.2K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-73.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.09 ₱2,272

$80.0 A$115

-54.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 ₱1,209

$50.7 A$73.0

-62.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,773

$121 A$174

-37.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 ₱3,723

$130 A$188

-54.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₱16.9K

$1,759 A$2,531

-84.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.9K

$1,390 A$2,000

-87.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ₱32.9K

$3,494 A$5,027

-85.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₱38.6K

$2,493 A$3,588

-75.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,441 ₱153.7K

$6,926 A$9,967

-64.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$979 ₱61.7K

$6,445 A$9,274

-84.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 ₱14.4K

$4,383 A$6,307

-94.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.9

15.08%

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

Last update for Boracay: October 12, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Boracay

$193 25%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 98.7% $191

Accommodation & Living

Boracay

$174 22.5%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 699% $1.2K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boracay

$159 20.6%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 99.7% $158

Eating Out

Boracay

$105 13.7%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 198% $209

Clothing & Footwear

Boracay

$86 11.1%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 101% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Boracay

$40 5.3%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 96.7% $39

Getting Around

Boracay

$14 1.8%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 1072% $150

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Boracay and $1,759 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 1813% 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: $19.00 in Boracay vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $384 per month, with Boracay cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Boracay

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

02:52 2:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

3 h ahead of Boracay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,296

5,031,195

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Boracay Melbourne 6,030 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Boracay
Melbourne

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Boracay vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boracay and Melbourne differ by about 266% in total monthly costs ($772 vs $2,821 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1813% 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: $268 in Boracay versus $1,759 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in Boracay versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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, Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 266% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.