Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Barrigada

For one person, living costs are similar in Melbourne and in Barrigada: $2,852 and $2,886 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,852

/mo nomad

Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Barrigada

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 Barrigada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,852 in Melbourne versus $2,886 in Barrigada.

Melbourne $2,852
Barrigada $2,886

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,297 in Melbourne versus $3,657 in Barrigada.

Melbourne $4,297
Barrigada $3,657

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Melbourne versus $4,428 in Barrigada.

Melbourne $5,742
Barrigada $4,428

Living in Melbourne costs roughly 1% less than in Barrigada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 113% above, Barrigada 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.75 A$25.49

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.8 A$122

$98.7 $98.7

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 A$17.46

Cappuccino

$3.93 A$5.64

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

$3.14 A$4.51

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 A$3.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 A$14.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 A$11.91

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 A$2.22

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 A$4.32

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 A$4.14

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.82

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 A$15.22

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 A$13.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 A$21.54

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.96

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 A$4.38

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.74

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.83

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.36

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 A$3.56

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.3

$6.89 $6.89

539.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 A$17.85

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.33 A$7.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 A$7.41

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 A$5.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 A$203

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 A$6.32

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$2.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 A$42.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.09

$1.42 $1.42

2.82%

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

$28.1K A$40.4K

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

$25.9K A$37.3K

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

$233 A$334

$414 $414

-43.74%

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

$27.28 A$39.19

$98.9 $98.9

-72.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 A$81.9

$80.6 $80.6

-29.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 A$75.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 A$32.49

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 A$24.57

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

$2,373 A$3,409

$730 $730

225.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K A$43.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 A$112

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 A$72.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$173

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$191

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 A$2,460

$2,463 $2,463

-30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 A$2,014

$2,241 $2,241

-37.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,339 A$4,796

$3,340 $3,340

-0.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 A$3,632

$3,235 $3,235

-21.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,018 A$10.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,767 A$9,721

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,228 A$6,074

$4,895 $4,895

-13.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 6, 2026

Last update for Barrigada: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Barrigada

–

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$385 13.5%

Barrigada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.1%

Barrigada

–

Eating Out

Melbourne

$314 11%

Barrigada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Barrigada

–

Getting Around

Melbourne

$168 5.9%

Barrigada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$87 3.1%

Barrigada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,713 in Melbourne and $2,463 in Barrigada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 16% 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 $99.0 in Barrigada for two.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🕒 Local time

20:04 8:04 PM

19:04 7:04 PM

1 h behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

8,875

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.696 USD

1 AUD = 0.621 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

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Melbourne Barrigada 5,710 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

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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 Barrigada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Barrigada. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,713 in Melbourne versus $2,463 in Barrigada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Melbourne – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $99.0 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $2,373 in Melbourne versus $730 in Barrigada. 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. Melbourne 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 Barrigada 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 Melbourne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.