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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Average salary in Sydney: $90,000/year — $11,346 above the Australia median. Cost index 132, purchasing power 68182/100. Compare incomes across New South Wales below.
Average salary in Sydney: $90,000/year — $11,346 above the Australia median. Cost index 132, purchasing power 68182/100. Compare incomes across New South Wales below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
| 2 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 3 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
Sydney: cost index 132 (+19 vs national avg 113), rent $3,200/month.
New South Wales region average cost index: 118. Sydney is +14 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 68, healthcare 85, walkability 76.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 42.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. Sydney has a cost index of 132 — 19 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $90,000 with rent at $3,200/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 43%. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
On quality of life, Sydney scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (85), and walkability (76) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Sydney — cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000, QoL 62/100.
Newcastle — cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo, income $76,000, QoL 62/100.
Wollongong — cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000, QoL 63/100.
The median gross income in Sydney is $90,000/year — above the Australia national average of $78,654.
The New South Wales region of average QoL score is 62/100. Sydney leads with 62/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include ABS, CoreLogic, ATO.
Sydney: cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000/yr, QoL 62/100. Newcastle: cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo, income $76,000/yr, QoL 62/100.
This analysis uses data from ABS, CoreLogic, ATO to rank cities in Australia. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.