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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Best cities for retirees in Australia in 2026. Hobart ranks #1 with cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, and QoL 68/100.
Best cities for retirees in Australia in 2026. Hobart ranks #1 with cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, and QoL 68/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 3 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 4 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 5 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 6 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 |
| 7 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
| 8 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 9 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 |
| 10 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 11 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
| 12 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 13 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
Hobart ranks #1 with a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,920/month.
The median city is Sydney — cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 113 (0 vs national average of 113).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Hobart at 68/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
Think you know which city wins? The data might disagree. Hobart stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 100 and median income of $68,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Australia. That's a strong position by any measure.
Zoom into the category breakdown, and the plot thickens: the spread across all 13 cities is 16 points on the cost index. Darwin sits at the other end with index 116 and rent of $2,350/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Hobart leads with a composite score of 68/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (72), and walkability (62) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Hobart — cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, income $68,000, QoL 68/100.
Adelaide — cost index 104, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Canberra — cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000, QoL 67/100.
Wollongong — cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000, QoL 63/100.
Cairns — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000, QoL 63/100.
Hobart scores highest for retirees due to its below-average cost of living, rent of $1,920/mo, and quality of life score of 68/100.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Hobart leads with 68/100, 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.
Hobart (ranked #1) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,920/mo. Darwin (#13) has index 116 and rent $2,350/mo — a 16-point gap.
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.