Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Sydney vs Melbourne in 2026: cost index 132 vs 124, rent $3,200 vs $2,750, income $90,000 vs $84,500, QoL 62 vs 62.
Sydney vs Melbourne in 2026: cost index 132 vs 124, rent $3,200 vs $2,750, income $90,000 vs $84,500, QoL 62 vs 62.
Sydney: cost index 132 (+19 vs national avg 113), rent $3,200/month.
New South Wales region average cost index: 128. Sydney is +4 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 68, healthcare 85, walkability 76.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 42.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Sydney has a cost index of 132 — 19 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $90,000 with rent at $3,200/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 43%. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Sydney scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (85), and walkability (76) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Sydney has a cost index of 132 (national avg: 113), rent $3,200/mo, median income $90,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The New South Wales region of average QoL score is 62/100. Sydney 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.
Sydney: cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000/yr, QoL 62/100. Melbourne: cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500/yr, QoL 62/100.