Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Darwin climate: 3100 sunshine hours/year, avg summer 33°C / winter 25°C. Compared to other Northern Territory cities.
Darwin climate: 3100 sunshine hours/year, avg summer 33°C / winter 25°C. Compared to other Northern Territory cities.
Darwin: cost index 116 (+3 vs national avg 113), rent $2,350/month.
Northern Territory region average cost index: 113. Darwin is +3 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 55/100 — safety 48, healthcare 58, walkability 52.
Safety score: 48/100 (crime rate 85.4/1k). National average: 66/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | Sunshine hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 | 3100 |
| 2 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 | 3212 |
| 3 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 | 2884 |
| 4 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 | 2884 |
| 5 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 | 2800 |
| 6 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 | 2738 |
| 7 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 | 2681 |
| 8 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 | 2636 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 | 2573 |
| 10 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 | 2475 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 | 2363 |
| 12 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 | 2264 |
| 13 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 | 2212 |
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Darwin has a cost index of 116 — 3 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $80,000 with rent at $2,350/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 35%. That's a strong position by any measure.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. looking at Northern Territory as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 9 points on the cost index. Geelong sits at the other end with index 107 and rent of $2,050/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Darwin scores a composite score of 55/100 — reflecting its safety (48), healthcare (58), and walkability (52) 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.
Darwin — cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo, income $80,000, QoL 55/100.
Perth — cost index 118, rent $2,650/mo, income $87,000, QoL 63/100.
Brisbane — cost index 112, rent $2,550/mo, income $80,000, QoL 62/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Cairns — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000, QoL 63/100.
Darwin has a cost index of 116 (national avg: 113), rent $2,350/mo, median income $80,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 55/100.
The Northern Territory region of average QoL score is 63/100. Darwin leads with 55/100, 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.
Darwin: cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 55/100. Perth: cost index 118, rent $2,650/mo, income $87,000/yr, QoL 63/100.
This analysis uses data from ABS, CoreLogic, ATO to rank cities in Australia. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.