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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Gold Coast vs Cairns in 2026: cost index 109 vs 100, rent $2,400 vs $1,820, income $72,000 vs $66,000, QoL 60 vs 63.
Gold Coast vs Cairns in 2026: cost index 109 vs 100, rent $2,400 vs $1,820, income $72,000 vs $66,000, QoL 60 vs 63.
Gold Coast: cost index 109 (-4 vs national avg 113), rent $2,400/month.
Queensland region average cost index: 105. Gold Coast is +4 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 60/100 — safety 62, healthcare 72, walkability 48.
Safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 58.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Gold Coast has a cost index of 109 — 4 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $72,000 with rent at $2,400/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 40%. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Gold Coast scores a composite score of 60/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (72), and walkability (48) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Gold Coast has a cost index of 109 (national avg: 113), rent $2,400/mo, median income $72,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 60/100.
The Queensland region of average QoL score is 62/100. Gold Coast leads with 60/100, 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.
Gold Coast: cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 60/100. Cairns: cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000/yr, QoL 63/100.