Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Barrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Barrie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,905 in Melbourne versus $2,544 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,310 in Melbourne versus $3,542 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,714 in Melbourne versus $4,540 in Barrie.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 14% more expensive than in Barrie, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 112% above, Barrie 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 A$25.56

$14.68 CA$20.53

23.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$120

$57.0 CA$79.7

48.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 A$17.07

$11.35 CA$15.88

6.70%

Cappuccino

$4.12 A$5.81

$3.74 CA$5.23

10.16%

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

$3.21 A$4.53

$1.94 CA$2.71

65.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 A$3.60

$1.44 CA$2.02

77.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.77 A$13.77

$5.16 CA$7.21

89.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 A$12.06

$5.63 CA$7.87

51.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 A$2.29

$2.10 CA$2.93

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 A$4.49

$2.58 CA$3.61

23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 A$4.01

$2.69 CA$3.76

5.95%

Eggs

$5.83 A$8.22

$3.13 CA$4.38

86.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 A$15.51

$10.10 CA$14.13

8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 A$14.14

$14.64 CA$20.48

-31.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 A$21.78

$22.79 CA$31.89

-32.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 A$6.20

$4.03 CA$5.64

9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 A$4.47

$1.19 CA$1.67

166.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 A$4.63

$3.20 CA$4.47

2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.88

$4.04 CA$5.65

20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.39

$1.12 CA$1.56

177.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.72

$1.36 CA$1.91

94.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.51

$2.22 CA$3.11

12.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.38

$1.72 CA$2.41

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.87 A$64.7

$11.60 CA$16.23

295.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.86

$10.28 CA$14.38

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.61 A$7.92

$2.50 CA$3.50

124.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.47

$2.21 CA$3.09

139.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 A$5.49

$2.49 CA$3.49

56.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 A$198

$64.8 CA$90.6

116.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 A$6.56

$3.57 CA$5.00

30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 A$1.99

$1.09 CA$1.53

29.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.65 A$43.22

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.95

$1.08 CA$1.51

27.78%

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

$28.9K A$40.8K

$29.0K CA$40.6K

-0.33%

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

$27.2K A$38.4K

$21.4K CA$29.9K

27.40%

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

$238 A$335

$236 CA$330

0.90%

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

$27.90 A$39.35

$36.33 CA$50.8

-23.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.3

$78.4 CA$110

-26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 A$77.6

$41.15 CA$57.6

33.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 A$31.47

$35.41 CA$49.53

-37.00%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 A$25.20

$12.89 CA$18.03

38.63%

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

$2,450 A$3,455

$1,456 CA$2,037

68.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K A$45.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 A$115

$63.9 CA$89.4

27.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 A$73.1

$45.65 CA$63.9

13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 A$169

$151 CA$211

-20.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$190

$85.0 CA$119

58.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 A$2,490

$1,458 CA$2,039

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 A$2,016

$1,285 CA$1,798

11.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,441 A$4,853

$2,092 CA$2,926

64.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 A$3,613

$1,771 CA$2,478

44.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 A$10.3K

$5,084 CA$7,112

44.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,900 A$9,730

$4,301 CA$6,017

60.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 A$6,138

$3,093 CA$4,326

40.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

4.68

25.85%

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

Last update for Melbourne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barrie: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,766 in Melbourne and $1,458 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 41% 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: $85.0 in Melbourne vs $57.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $375 per month, with Barrie cheaper across the board.

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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Barrie differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,905 vs $2,544 including rent). Barrie is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Melbourne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,766 in Melbourne versus $1,458 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Barrie runs roughly 117% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,450 in Melbourne versus $1,456 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barrie is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Barrie 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 Barrie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.