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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Melbourne vs Cairns in 2026: cost index 124 vs 100, rent $2,750 vs $1,820, income $84,500 vs $66,000, QoL 62 vs 63.
Melbourne vs Cairns in 2026: cost index 124 vs 100, rent $2,750 vs $1,820, income $84,500 vs $66,000, QoL 62 vs 63.
Melbourne: cost index 124 (+11 vs national avg 113), rent $2,750/month.
Victoria region average cost index: 112. Melbourne is +12 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 64, healthcare 84, walkability 80.
Safety score: 64/100 (crime rate 48.2/1k). National average: 66/100.
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Melbourne has a cost index of 124 — 11 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $84,500 with rent at $2,750/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 39%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Melbourne scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (64), healthcare (84), and walkability (80) metrics. That said, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Melbourne has a cost index of 124 (national avg: 113), rent $2,750/mo, median income $84,500/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The Victoria region of average QoL score is 63/100. Melbourne leads with 62/100, 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.
Melbourne: cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500/yr, QoL 62/100. Cairns: cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000/yr, QoL 63/100.