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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Perth vs Canberra in 2026: cost index 110 vs 116, rent $2,300 vs $2,500, income $82,000 vs $96,000, QoL 65 vs 68.
Perth vs Canberra in 2026: cost index 110 vs 116, rent $2,300 vs $2,500, income $82,000 vs $96,000, QoL 65 vs 68.
Perth ranks #1 with a cost index of 110 and rent of $2,300/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 113 (+6 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 67/100. Top: Perth at 65/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
Let's cut to what actually matters here. Perth stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 110 and median income of $82,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. That gap is hard to ignore.
On quality of life, Canberra leads with a composite score of 68/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (85), and walkability (48) 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.
The country average QoL score is 64/100. Perth leads with 65/100, 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.
Perth (ranked #1) has a cost index of 110 and rent of $2,300/mo. Canberra (#2) has index 116 and rent $2,500/mo — a 6-point gap.