Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne, FL and Bristol

For one person, living is cheaper in Bristol: $2,835 a month against $3,213 in Melbourne, FL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Melbourne, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,213
/mo nomad
Bristol
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne, FL and in Bristol

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,213 in Melbourne, FL versus $2,835 in Bristol.

  • Melbourne, FL $3,213
  • Bristol $2,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,425 in Melbourne, FL versus $4,144 in Bristol.

  • Melbourne, FL $4,425
  • Bristol $4,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,637 in Melbourne, FL versus $5,453 in Bristol.

  • Melbourne, FL $5,637
  • Bristol $5,453

Living in Melbourne, FL is roughly 13% more expensive than in Bristol, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne, FL 138% above, Bristol 110% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.66 $25.66
$23.82 £17.87
7.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.2 $74.2
$113 £84.8
-34.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 $9.95
$10.38 £7.79
-4.14%
Cappuccino
$5.03 $5.03
$5.27 £3.95
-4.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$2.56 £1.92
18.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.84 £1.38
5.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.23 $5.23
$7.55 £5.66
-30.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.40 $7.40
$6.51 £4.88
13.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.49 £1.12
-40.94%
White Bread (500g)
$4.33 $4.33
$1.63 £1.22
165.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.12 $3.12
$2.00 £1.50
56.00%
Eggs
$5.70 $5.70
$4.29 £3.22
32.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.32 $13.32
$8.39 £6.30
58.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 $11.33
$9.69 £7.27
16.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.80 $14.80
$12.85 £9.64
15.18%
Apples (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$3.14 £2.36
44.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.72 £1.29
-12.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 $4.37
$2.62 £1.97
66.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.37 $5.37
$4.16 £3.12
29.09%
Potato (1kg)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.05 £1.54
48.29%
Onion (1kg)
$3.36 $3.36
$1.51 £1.13
122.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.27 £0.95
74.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 $2.61
$2.07 £1.55
26.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.51 $9.51
$23.58 £17.69
-59.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.69 $15.69
$10.70 £8.03
46.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$2.87 £2.15
-28.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 $3.33
$3.57 £2.68
-6.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.84 $3.84
$3.36 £2.52
14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.62 $41.62
$118 £88.6
-64.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.12 $10.12
$3.39 £2.54
198.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.66 £1.25
15.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$26.38 £19.79
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$2.12 £1.59
-51.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$37.5K £28.1K
-1.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K $25.1K
$39.7K £29.8K
-36.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$173 $173
$316 £237
-45.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.9 $57.9
$16.76 £12.58
245.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$78.1 $78.1
$38.59 £28.95
102.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.63 $40.63
$48.62 £36.48
-16.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.81 $2.81
$11.50 £8.63
-75.57%
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 $12.66
$14.05 £10.54
-9.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$918 $918
$2,221 £1,667
-58.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K $20.8K
$25.0K £18.7K
-16.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.1 $75.1
$98.5 £73.9
-23.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.3 $56.3
$48.84 £36.64
15.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 $117
$105 £79.1
11.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$98.9 £74.2
5.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,996 $1,996
$1,891 £1,419
5.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,838 $1,838
$1,424 £1,068
29.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,769 $2,769
$3,042 £2,282
-8.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,580 $2,580
$2,266 £1,700
13.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,442 $2,442
$6,835 £5,128
-64.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,477 $2,477
$5,177 £3,884
-52.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melbourne, FL
Bristol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,581 $3,581
$3,731 £2,799
-4.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.86
4.87
40.86%

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

Last update for Melbourne, FL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bristol: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Melbourne, FL
$1.8K
Bristol
$1.4K 22.5% $414
Groceries & Markets
Melbourne, FL
$409
Bristol
$308 24.7% $101
Eating Out
Melbourne, FL
$356
Bristol
$353 0.8% $3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melbourne, FL
$309
Bristol
$371 20.2% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Melbourne, FL
$159
Bristol
$158 0.4% $0.7
Getting Around
Melbourne, FL
$77
Bristol
$143 86.9% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Melbourne, FL
$66
Bristol
$77 16.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,996 in Melbourne, FL and $1,891 in Bristol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bristol pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Melbourne, FL vs $113 in Bristol. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $308, with Bristol cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Melbourne, FL
🇬🇧 Bristol
🕒 Local time
06:05 6:05 AM
11:05 11:05 AM
5 h ahead of Melbourne, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,068
463,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Melbourne, FL Bristol 6,800 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Melbourne, FL
  • Bristol

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
Melbourne, FL vs Bristol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Melbourne, FL and in Bristol?
Melbourne, FL and Bristol differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($3,213 vs $2,835 including rent). Bristol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Bristol. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Melbourne, FL and in Bristol?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,996 in Melbourne, FL versus $1,891 in Bristol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Melbourne, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Bristol – a meal for two runs $113 versus $74.0 in Melbourne, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bristol is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Melbourne, FL and Bristol?
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.
Is Melbourne, FL or Bristol safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Melbourne, FL and Bristol are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Melbourne, FL or Bristol?
Expats usually find Bristol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Melbourne, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Melbourne, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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