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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Melbourne vs Cairns in 2026: cost index 118 vs 95, rent $2,400 vs $1,600, income $80,000 vs $62,000, QoL 63 vs 64.
Melbourne vs Cairns in 2026: cost index 118 vs 95, rent $2,400 vs $1,600, income $80,000 vs $62,000, QoL 63 vs 64.
Melbourne ranks #1 with a cost index of 118 and rent of $2,400/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 107 (0 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Melbourne at 63/100.
Safest city: Melbourne (64/100 safety score).
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Melbourne stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 118 and median income of $80,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Cairns leads with a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (62), and walkability (55) metrics. That said, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 64/100. Melbourne leads with 63/100, 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.
Melbourne (ranked #1) has a cost index of 118 and rent of $2,400/mo. Cairns (#2) has index 95 and rent $1,600/mo — a 23-point gap.