Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $743 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $24,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Laoag City
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Laoag City Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Laoag City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$743

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $743 per month in Laoag City vs $2,821 in Melbourne, rent included.

Laoag City $743
Melbourne $2,821

A couple spends around $1,112 per month in Laoag City vs $4,235 in Melbourne, rent included.

Laoag City $1,112
Melbourne $4,235

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Laoag City vs $5,650 in Melbourne, rent included.

Laoag City $1,480
Melbourne $5,650

Laoag City is about 74% cheaper than Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Laoag City sits 45% below the global median, while Melbourne is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 ₱215

$17.43 A$25.08

-80.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.52 ₱1,041

$84.6 A$122

-80.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.94 ₱185

$12.46 A$17.92

-76.40%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱160

$4.11 A$5.91

-38.20%

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

$0.67 ₱42.13

$3.06 A$4.40

-78.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.53

$2.52 A$3.62

-86.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱63.3

$9.80 A$14.10

-89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₱117

$8.57 A$12.33

-78.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱103

$1.48 A$2.14

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.8

$2.94 A$4.23

-60.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱58.1

$2.66 A$3.82

-65.41%

Eggs

$1.95 ₱123

$5.54 A$7.97

-64.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.25 ₱331

$10.51 A$15.13

-50.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 ₱271

$9.65 A$13.89

-55.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 ₱456

$15.22 A$21.91

-52.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₱152

$3.99 A$5.75

-39.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ₱103

$3.02 A$4.34

-46.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱154

$3.10 A$4.46

-21.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ₱74.7

$4.82 A$6.93

-75.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$3.03 A$4.36

-35.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ₱119

$2.44 A$3.52

-22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₱63.4

$2.46 A$3.54

-58.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱33.75

$1.63 A$2.34

-66.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱182

$44.07 A$63.4

-93.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 ₱464

$12.70 A$18.28

-41.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₱59.5

$5.54 A$7.97

-83.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱122

$5.23 A$7.52

-62.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.39

$3.74 A$5.38

-93.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 ₱756

$138 A$198

-91.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 ₱45.78

$4.51 A$6.50

-83.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.15

$1.36 A$1.96

-82.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₱138

$30.45 A$43.81

-92.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₱64.6

$1.47 A$2.12

-29.93%

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

$21.6K ₱1.4M

$29.0K A$41.7K

-25.37%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$26.5K A$38.1K

-28.12%

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

$136 ₱8,546

$234 A$336

-41.94%

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

$14.48 ₱912

$27.93 A$40.19

-48.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.79 ₱1,562

$55.7 A$80.2

-55.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.51 ₱2,048

$49.40 A$71.1

-34.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.10 ₱321

$21.48 A$30.91

-76.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 ₱317

$15.09 A$21.72

-66.67%

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

$133 ₱8,389

$2,371 A$3,412

-94.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,190 ₱515.9K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-72.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.49 ₱2,109

$80.0 A$115

-58.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 ₱1,242

$50.7 A$73.0

-61.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₱4,484

$121 A$174

-40.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ₱3,485

$130 A$188

-57.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱17.0K

$1,759 A$2,531

-84.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₱10.8K

$1,390 A$2,000

-87.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₱32.3K

$3,494 A$5,027

-85.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ₱20.8K

$2,493 A$3,588

-86.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,434 ₱153.3K

$6,926 A$9,967

-64.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 ₱68.4K

$6,445 A$9,274

-83.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 ₱10.2K

$4,383 A$6,307

-96.31%

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 Laoag City: 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

Laoag City

$179 24.2%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 114% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laoag City

$175 23.5%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 81.4% $142

Accommodation & Living

Laoag City

$171 23%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3% 711% $1.2K

Clothing & Footwear

Laoag City

$81 10.9%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 112% $91

Eating Out

Laoag City

$79 10.7%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 297% $235

Sport & Entertainment

Laoag City

$43 5.7%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 87% $37

Getting Around

Laoag City

$15 2%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 994% $149

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Laoag City versus $1,759 in Melbourne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2608% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Laoag City versus $85.0 in Melbourne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $384 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Laoag City

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

01:28 1:28 AM

04:28 4:28 AM

3 h ahead of Laoag City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,117

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 = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Laoag City Melbourne 6,730 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Laoag 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

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

Melbourne costs about 279% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,115 per month in Laoag City and $4,231 in Melbourne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $743 in Laoag City and $2,821 in Melbourne. That's a gap of about 279%.

Public transport costs about 1047% less in Laoag City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laoag City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.