Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Mambajao

For one person, living is cheaper in Mambajao: $508 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $27,800 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 Mambajao
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Mambajao Living Index

Jump to prices

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Mambajao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$508

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne and in Mambajao

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

A single person spends $2,821 per month in Melbourne vs $508 in Mambajao, rent included.

Melbourne $2,821
Mambajao $508

A couple spends around $4,235 per month in Melbourne vs $817 in Mambajao, rent included.

Melbourne $4,235
Mambajao $817

A family of three spends $5,650 per month in Melbourne vs $1,126 in Mambajao, rent included.

Melbourne $5,650
Mambajao $1,126

Melbourne costs about 456% more than Mambajao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne sits 109% above the global median, while Mambajao is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 A$25.08

$1.36 ₱85.9

1181.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$122

$15.83 ₱997

434.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 A$17.92

$3.40 ₱214

266.47%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.91

$2.28 ₱144

80.26%

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

$3.06 A$4.40

$0.38 ₱24.02

705.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 A$3.62

$0.27 ₱16.81

833.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 A$14.10

$1.03 ₱64.6

851.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.57 A$12.33

$1.12 ₱70.6

665.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 A$2.14

$0.90 ₱56.8

64.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 A$4.23

$0.63 ₱39.56

366.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$0.66 ₱41.56

303.03%

Eggs

$5.54 A$7.97

$1.26 ₱79.5

339.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 A$15.13

$5.90 ₱372

78.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 A$13.89

$4.29 ₱270

124.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 A$21.91

$5.50 ₱346

176.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 A$5.75

$2.54 ₱160

57.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.34

$1.63 ₱103

85.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.46

$2.24 ₱141

38.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.93

$1.13 ₱71.3

326.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.03 A$4.36

$1.29 ₱81.3

134.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.52

$2.06 ₱130

18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.54

$0.90 ₱56.8

173.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.34

$0.55 ₱34.37

196.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.07 A$63.4

$2.51 ₱158

1655.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 A$18.28

$7.42 ₱467

71.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.97

$0.99 ₱62.0

459.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 A$7.52

$1.13 ₱70.9

362.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 A$5.38

$0.20 ₱12.47

1770.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$198

$10.71 ₱675

1184.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 A$6.50

$0.69 ₱43.54

553.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.96

$0.21 ₱12.97

547.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 A$43.81

$1.70 ₱107

1691.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 A$2.12

$1.28 ₱80.3

14.84%

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

$29.0K A$41.7K

$21.9K ₱1.4M

32.13%

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

$26.5K A$38.1K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

21.67%

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

$234 A$336

$64.9 ₱4,083

260.34%

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

$27.93 A$40.19

$16.36 ₱1,030

70.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$80.2

$20.10 ₱1,266

177.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 A$71.1

$27.72 ₱1,745

78.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 A$30.91

$4.68 ₱295

358.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 A$21.72

$4.95 ₱312

204.85%

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

$2,371 A$3,412

$127 ₱7,995

1767.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K A$43.5K

$8,993 ₱566.2K

235.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 A$115

$30.83 ₱1,941

159.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 A$73.0

$22.01 ₱1,386

130.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 A$174

$72.3 ₱4,553

66.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$188

$63.1 ₱3,975

106.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,531

$101 ₱6,360

1641.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,000

$56.3 ₱3,542

2370.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 A$5,027

$237 ₱14.9K

1372.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,588

$158 ₱9,973

1473.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$9,967

$2,172 ₱136.7K

218.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,274

$990 ₱62.3K

551.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 A$6,307

$153 ₱9,616

2769.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

6.79

-13.11%

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

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

Mambajao

$56 11.1% 96% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne

$384 13.6%

Mambajao

$156 30.7% 59.4% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne

$317 11.3%

Mambajao

$101 20% 68.1% $216

Eating Out

Melbourne

$315 11.2%

Mambajao

$59 11.5% 81.4% $256

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne

$172 6.1%

Mambajao

$85 16.7% 50.7% $87

Getting Around

Melbourne

$164 5.8%

Mambajao

$13 2.6% 91.9% $151

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne

$80 2.8%

Mambajao

$38 7.4% 52.7% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,759 in Melbourne versus $101 in Mambajao. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2769% higher in Melbourne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Melbourne versus $16.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $156 – making Mambajao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🇵🇭 Mambajao

🕒 Local time

05:44 5:44 AM

02:44 2:44 AM

3 h behind Melbourne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,031,195

41,094

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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 Mambajao 5,640 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne
Mambajao

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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melbourne costs about 456% more than Mambajao, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,231 per month in Melbourne and $761 in Mambajao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,821 in Melbourne and $508 in Mambajao. That's a gap of about 456%.

Public transport costs about 1184% less in Mambajao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Melbourne at $2,821. In Mambajao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mambajao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mambajao. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melbourne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.