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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Sydney leads with a cost index of 125 and rent of $2,800/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Sydney leads with a cost index of 125 and rent of $2,800/month.
Sydney ranks #1 with a cost index of 125 and rent of $2,800/month.
The median city is Newcastle — cost index 105, rent $2,000/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 107 (0 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Sydney at 64/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Sydney stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 125 and median income of $85,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. Financially, that's significant.
Context matters here. the spread across all 13 cities is 13 points on the cost index. Darwin sits at the other end with index 112 and rent of $2,100/mo. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Hobart leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (72), and walkability (62) metrics. Zooming out, 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 | Sydney | 125 | $2,800 | $85,000 |
| 2 | Canberra | 116 | $2,500 | $96,000 |
| 3 | Melbourne | 118 | $2,400 | $80,000 |
| 4 | Perth | 110 | $2,300 | $82,000 |
| 5 | Brisbane | 105 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 6 | Adelaide | 96 | $1,800 | $68,000 |
| 7 | Newcastle | 105 | $2,000 | $72,000 |
| 8 | Wollongong | 108 | $2,050 | $70,000 |
| 9 | Geelong | 102 | $1,800 | $68,000 |
| 10 | Gold Coast | 102 | $2,100 | $68,000 |
| 11 | Hobart | 94 | $1,700 | $64,000 |
| 12 | Cairns | 95 | $1,600 | $62,000 |
| 13 | Darwin | 112 | $2,100 | $76,000 |
Sydney — cost index 125, rent $2,800/mo, income $85,000, QoL 64/100.
Canberra — cost index 116, rent $2,500/mo, income $96,000, QoL 68/100.
Melbourne — cost index 118, rent $2,400/mo, income $80,000, QoL 63/100.
Perth — cost index 110, rent $2,300/mo, income $82,000, QoL 65/100.
Brisbane — cost index 105, rent $2,200/mo, income $76,000, QoL 64/100.
The country average QoL score is 64/100. Sydney leads with 64/100, reflecting its 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 (ranked #1) has a cost index of 125 and rent of $2,800/mo. Darwin (#13) has index 112 and rent $2,100/mo — a 13-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.