Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Ba

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $92.7 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $32,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Ba
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Ba Living Index

Jump to prices

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

🇫🇯 Fiji

$92.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Ba

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $92.7 in Ba.

Melbourne $2,821
Ba $92.7

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $207 in Ba.

Melbourne $4,235
Ba $207

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $321 in Ba.

Melbourne $5,650
Ba $321

Living in Melbourne is roughly 2942% more expensive than in Ba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Melbourne is 109% above, Ba is 93% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 A$25.20

$2.05 FJD 4.59

750.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$122

$29.78 FJD 66.7

183.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$18.02

$6.10 FJD 13.66

104.26%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.94

$1.96 FJD 4.39

109.69%

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

$3.06 A$4.42

$0.98 FJD 2.20

212.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.64

$0.98 FJD 2.19

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 A$14.17

$3.95 FJD 8.84

148.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 A$12.39

$3.45 FJD 7.72

148.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.15

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 A$4.26

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.84

Eggs

$5.54 A$8.01

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 A$15.21

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 A$13.96

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 A$22.02

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 A$5.78

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.36

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.49

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.96

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.38

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.56

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.7

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 A$18.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$8.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 A$5.41

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$199

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 A$6.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 A$44.04

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.13

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

$29.0K A$41.9K

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

$26.5K A$38.3K

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

$234 A$338

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

$27.93 A$40.39

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$80.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 A$71.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$31.06

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 A$21.83

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

$2,371 A$3,430

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 A$116

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 A$73.3

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$174

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$189

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,544

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,010

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 A$5,053

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,606

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$10.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,321

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 A$6,339

$385 FJD 863

1037.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

47.50%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$384 13.6%

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.3%

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Melbourne

$315 11.2%

$93 100% 70.5% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Melbourne

$164 5.8%

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$80 2.8%

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Melbourne pays 1037% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $30.00 in Ba for two.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇫🇯 Ba

🕒 Local time

06:55 6:55 AM

07:55 7:55 AM

1 h ahead of Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

15,000

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Fijian Dollar FJD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.691 USD

1 AUD = 0.617 EUR

1 FJD = 0.447 USD

1 FJD = 0.399 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FJD, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.45 AUD (1 AUD = 0.691 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.617 EUR).

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 2.24 FJD (1 FJD = 0.447 USD). 1 EUR = 2.51 FJD (1 FJD = 0.399 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

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Between locations

Melbourne Ba 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 vs Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 2942% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1037% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $85.0 in Melbourne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,821 per month in Melbourne versus $92.7 in Ba – a 2942% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $92.7 in Ba versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Ba 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, Melbourne and Ba 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 Ba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2942% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.