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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Canberra vs Darwin in 2026: cost index 120 vs 116, rent $2,750 vs $2,350, income $101,000 vs $80,000, QoL 67 vs 55.
Canberra vs Darwin in 2026: cost index 120 vs 116, rent $2,750 vs $2,350, income $101,000 vs $80,000, QoL 67 vs 55.
Canberra: cost index 120 (+7 vs national avg 113), rent $2,750/month.
Australian Capital Territory region average cost index: 118. Canberra is +2 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 67/100 — safety 78, healthcare 85, walkability 48.
Safety score: 78/100 (crime rate 28.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Canberra has a cost index of 120 — 7 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $101,000 with rent at $2,750/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 33%. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Canberra scores a composite score of 67/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (85), and walkability (48) metrics. And here's the trade-off: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Canberra has a cost index of 120 (national avg: 113), rent $2,750/mo, median income $101,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 67/100.
The Australian Capital Territory region of average QoL score is 61/100. Canberra leads with 67/100, 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.
Canberra: cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000/yr, QoL 67/100. Darwin: cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 55/100.