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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
On a A$60K salary in Australia, 0 out of 13 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Cairns offers the best value — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo.
On a A$60K salary in Australia, 0 out of 13 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Cairns offers the best value — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo.
Cairns ranks #1 with a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,820/month.
The median city is Darwin — cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 113 (0 vs national average of 113).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Cairns at 63/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Cairns stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 100 and median income of $66,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Australia. Financially, that's significant.
Here's where it gets complicated: the spread across all 13 cities is 32 points on the cost index. Sydney sits at the other end with index 132 and rent of $3,200/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Hobart leads with a composite score of 68/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (72), and walkability (62) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 2 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 3 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 5 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 6 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 7 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
| 8 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 9 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
| 10 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 |
| 12 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 13 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
Cairns — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000, QoL 63/100.
Hobart — cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, income $68,000, QoL 68/100.
Geelong — cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000, QoL 62/100.
Adelaide — cost index 104, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Newcastle — cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo, income $76,000, QoL 62/100.
In Cairns, rent would be about 36% of your gross monthly income on A$60K. Consider cost-cutting measures or a roommate.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Cairns leads with 63/100, 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.
Cairns (ranked #1) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,820/mo. Sydney (#13) has index 132 and rent $3,200/mo — a 32-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.