Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Dumaguete

For one person, living is cheaper in Dumaguete: $791 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $24,400 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
39

Cost of Living Index in Dumaguete
Learn more

Dumaguete Living Index

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Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Dumaguete

🇵🇭 Philippines

$791

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Dumaguete

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,821 in Melbourne versus $791 in Dumaguete.

Melbourne $2,821
Dumaguete $791

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,235 in Melbourne versus $1,202 in Dumaguete.

Melbourne $4,235
Dumaguete $1,202

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,650 in Melbourne versus $1,612 in Dumaguete.

Melbourne $5,650
Dumaguete $1,612

Living in Melbourne is roughly 256% more expensive than in Dumaguete, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Melbourne is 109% above, Dumaguete is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 A$25.08

$3.85 ₱242

352.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$122

$16.19 ₱1,020

422.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.92

$4.17 ₱262

198.80%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.91

$2.27 ₱143

81.06%

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

$3.06 A$4.40

$0.72 ₱45.42

325.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.62

$0.44 ₱27.45

472.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 A$14.10

$1.34 ₱84.2

631.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 A$12.33

$1.85 ₱117

363.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.14

$1.61 ₱101

-8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 A$4.23

$1.33 ₱83.9

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$0.95 ₱59.6

180.00%

Eggs

$5.54 A$7.97

$1.75 ₱110

216.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 A$15.13

$8.39 ₱528

25.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 A$13.89

$4.40 ₱277

119.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 A$21.91

$7.01 ₱441

117.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 A$5.75

$1.63 ₱103

144.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.34

$1.30 ₱82.0

132.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.46

$3.51 ₱221

-11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.93

$1.25 ₱78.7

285.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.36

$2.43 ₱153

24.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.52

$1.57 ₱98.8

55.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.54

$0.79 ₱49.58

211.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

$0.54 ₱34.27

201.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.4

$2.32 ₱146

1799.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 A$18.28

$8.84 ₱557

43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.97

$1.20 ₱75.7

361.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.52

$1.26 ₱79.1

315.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 A$5.38

$0.41 ₱25.84

812.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$198

$10.09 ₱635

1262.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 A$6.50

$0.69 ₱43.64

553.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.96

$0.17 ₱10.41

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 A$43.81

$2.19 ₱138

1290.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.12

$1.06 ₱66.7

38.68%

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

$29.0K A$41.7K

$20.9K ₱1.3M

38.85%

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

$26.5K A$38.1K

$24.1K ₱1.5M

9.69%

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

$234 A$336

$67.1 ₱4,227

248.05%

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

$27.93 A$40.19

$10.05 ₱632

177.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$80.2

$25.78 ₱1,623

116.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 A$71.1

$23.76 ₱1,496

107.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

$4.06 ₱256

429.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 A$21.72

$7.23 ₱455

108.71%

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

$2,371 A$3,412

$57.8 ₱3,639

4002.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.5K

$1,698 ₱106.9K

1677.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 A$115

$94.4 ₱5,945

-15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 A$73.0

$32.11 ₱2,022

57.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$174

$102 ₱6,429

18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$188

$112 ₱7,053

16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,531

$238 ₱15.0K

639.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,000

$207 ₱13.0K

571.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 A$5,027

$429 ₱27.0K

713.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,588

$359 ₱22.6K

595.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$9,967

$3,082 ₱194.0K

124.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,274

$693 ₱43.7K

829.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 A$6,307

$276 ₱17.4K

1487.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

-15.71%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Dumaguete

$207 26.2% 85.1% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$384 13.6%

Dumaguete

$191 24.1% 50.3% $193

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.3%

Dumaguete

$103 13% 67.6% $214

Eating Out

Melbourne

$315 11.2%

Dumaguete

$86 10.8% 72.8% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Dumaguete

$153 19.4% 10.7% $18

Getting Around

Melbourne

$164 5.8%

Dumaguete

$13 1.7% 91.9% $151

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$80 2.8%

Dumaguete

$38 4.8% 52% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in Melbourne and $238 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 1487% 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 $16.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $191 per month, with Dumaguete cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇵🇭 Dumaguete

🕒 Local time

18:25 6:25 PM

15:25 3:25 PM

3 h behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

134,103

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Melbourne Dumaguete 5,700 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Dumaguete

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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne and Dumaguete differ by about 256% in total monthly costs ($2,821 vs $791 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1487% 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: $1,759 in Melbourne versus $238 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,821 per month in Melbourne versus $791 in Dumaguete – a 256% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 1263% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $791 in Dumaguete versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 256% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.