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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Perth vs Wollongong in 2026: cost index 110 vs 108, rent $2,300 vs $2,050, income $82,000 vs $70,000, QoL 65 vs 65.
Perth vs Wollongong in 2026: cost index 110 vs 108, rent $2,300 vs $2,050, income $82,000 vs $70,000, QoL 65 vs 65.
Perth ranks #1 with a cost index of 110 and rent of $2,300/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 109 (+2 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 65/100. Top: Perth at 65/100.
Safest city: Wollongong (72/100 safety score).
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': 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's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Perth leads with a composite score of 65/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (80), and walkability (58) metrics. But here's the flip side: 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. Wollongong (#2) has index 108 and rent $2,050/mo — a 2-point gap.