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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Adelaide leads with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,800/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Adelaide leads with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,800/month.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 96 | $1,800 | $68,000 |
| 2 | Brisbane | 105 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 3 | Gold Coast | 102 | $2,100 | $68,000 |
| 4 | Hobart | 94 | $1,700 | $64,000 |
| 5 | Geelong | 102 | $1,800 | $68,000 |
| 6 | Cairns | 95 | $1,600 | $62,000 |
| 7 | Perth | 110 | $2,300 | $82,000 |
| 8 | Melbourne | 118 | $2,400 | $80,000 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 105 | $2,000 | $72,000 |
| 10 | Wollongong | 108 | $2,050 | $70,000 |
| 11 | Canberra | 116 | $2,500 | $96,000 |
| 12 | Sydney | 125 | $2,800 | $85,000 |
| 13 | Darwin | 112 | $2,100 | $76,000 |
Adelaide ranks #1 with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,800/month.
The median city is Perth — cost index 110, rent $2,300/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 107 (0 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Adelaide at 69/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Adelaide stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 96 and median income of $68,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Australia. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
And there's one more thing: the spread across all 13 cities is 16 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. 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.
Adelaide — cost index 96, rent $1,800/mo, income $68,000, QoL 69/100.
Brisbane — cost index 105, rent $2,200/mo, income $76,000, QoL 64/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 102, rent $2,100/mo, income $68,000, QoL 62/100.
Hobart — cost index 94, rent $1,700/mo, income $64,000, QoL 70/100.
Geelong — cost index 102, rent $1,800/mo, income $68,000, QoL 63/100.
The country average QoL score is 64/100. Adelaide leads with 69/100, 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.
Adelaide (ranked #1) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,800/mo. Darwin (#13) has index 112 and rent $2,100/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.