Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotabato City and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Cotabato City: $764 a month against $2,853 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $25,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Cotabato City
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Cotabato City Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Cotabato City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$764

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,853

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cotabato City 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 Cotabato City and in Melbourne actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Cotabato City versus $2,853 in Melbourne.

Cotabato City $764
Melbourne $2,853

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Cotabato City versus $4,275 in Melbourne.

Cotabato City $1,169
Melbourne $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,574 in Cotabato City versus $5,697 in Melbourne.

Cotabato City $1,574
Melbourne $5,697

Living in Cotabato City 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: Cotabato City is 44% below, Melbourne is 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 ₱293

$17.20 A$24.75

-72.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.57 ₱1,044

$83.1 A$120

-80.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₱252

$12.43 A$17.88

-67.82%

Cappuccino

$2.23 ₱141

$4.05 A$5.82

-44.94%

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

$1.04 ₱65.4

$3.12 A$4.50

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱40.49

$2.46 A$3.54

-73.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$9.52 A$13.71

-87.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱120

$8.16 A$11.74

-76.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.56 A$2.25

29.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ₱68.0

$2.90 A$4.18

-62.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₱49.16

$2.66 A$3.82

-70.68%

Eggs

$1.89 ₱119

$5.37 A$7.72

-64.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 ₱404

$10.67 A$15.36

-39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₱294

$9.85 A$14.17

-52.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 ₱570

$15.36 A$22.11

-41.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$4.17 A$6.00

-34.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₱69.9

$3.15 A$4.53

-64.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱154

$3.26 A$4.69

-25.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱75.3

$4.76 A$6.85

-74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$3.06 A$4.41

-36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 ₱224

$2.47 A$3.55

43.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₱75.4

$2.45 A$3.52

-51.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱44.58

$1.63 A$2.34

-56.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₱156

$45.17 A$65.0

-94.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 ₱507

$12.68 A$18.25

-36.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱77.1

$5.69 A$8.18

-78.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₱106

$5.23 A$7.53

-67.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.40

$3.87 A$5.57

-93.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.02 ₱694

$142 A$204

-92.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱52.8

$4.54 A$6.53

-81.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.37

$1.42 A$2.04

-83.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$30.59 A$44.01

-93.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.4

$1.47 A$2.11

-19.73%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$28.9K A$41.5K

-25.59%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$25.9K A$37.3K

-27.92%

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

$108 ₱6,788

$235 A$338

-54.14%

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

$19.38 ₱1,220

$27.45 A$39.51

-29.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 ₱1,986

$56.1 A$80.8

-43.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.71 ₱2,060

$50.1 A$72.1

-34.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.78 ₱301

$21.49 A$30.93

-77.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 ₱292

$17.76 A$25.56

-73.87%

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

$107 ₱6,709

$2,385 A$3,432

-95.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,519 ₱473.4K

$29.7K A$42.7K

-74.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.49 ₱2,109

$79.2 A$114

-57.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.69 ₱1,240

$49.49 A$71.2

-60.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₱4,483

$118 A$170

-39.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 ₱3,825

$132 A$190

-54.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱17.0K

$1,763 A$2,537

-84.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱11.0K

$1,411 A$2,031

-87.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 ₱33.0K

$3,522 A$5,069

-85.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$2,525 A$3,634

-85.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,445 ₱154.0K

$7,136 A$10.3K

-65.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 ₱62.9K

$6,355 A$9,144

-84.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,258 A$6,128

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

5.9

40.85%

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

Last update for Cotabato City: October 19, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Cotabato City

$199 26.1%

Melbourne

$388 13.6% 94.8% $189

Accommodation & Living

Cotabato City

$174 22.8%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.5% 711% $1.2K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cotabato City

$159 20.8%

Melbourne

$319 11.2% 101% $160

Eating Out

Cotabato City

$92 12.1%

Melbourne

$310 10.9% 235% $217

Clothing & Footwear

Cotabato City

$83 10.9%

Melbourne

$171 6% 105% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Cotabato City

$42 5.5%

Melbourne

$86 3% 104% $44

Getting Around

Cotabato City

$14 1.8%

Melbourne

$169 5.9% 1104% $155

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Cotabato City and $1,763 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Cotabato City vs $83.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $388 per month, with Cotabato City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cotabato City

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

18:01 6:01 PM

21:01 9:01 PM

3 h ahead of Cotabato City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

325,079

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 23, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 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

Cotabato City Melbourne 5,450 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Cotabato City
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

Cotabato City vs Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotabato City wins on cost – living expenses run 274% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cotabato City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,146 in Cotabato City and $4,280 in Melbourne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $270 in Cotabato City versus $1,763 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $764 per month in Cotabato City versus $2,853 in Melbourne – a 274% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cotabato City runs roughly 1188% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $764 in Cotabato City versus $2,853 in Melbourne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City 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, Cotabato City 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 Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 274% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.