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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Perth leads with a cost index of 110 and rent of $2,300/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Perth leads with a cost index of 110 and rent of $2,300/month.
Perth ranks #1 with a cost index of 110 and rent of $2,300/month.
The median city is Adelaide — cost index 96, rent $1,800/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 107 (0 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Perth at 65/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | Sunshine hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perth | 110 | $2,300 | $82,000 | 3212 |
| 2 | Darwin | 112 | $2,100 | $76,000 | 3100 |
| 3 | Brisbane | 105 | $2,200 | $76,000 | 2884 |
| 4 | Gold Coast | 102 | $2,100 | $68,000 | 2884 |
| 5 | Cairns | 95 | $1,600 | $62,000 | 2800 |
| 6 | Canberra | 116 | $2,500 | $96,000 | 2738 |
| 7 | Adelaide | 96 | $1,800 | $68,000 | 2681 |
| 8 | Sydney | 125 | $2,800 | $85,000 | 2636 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 105 | $2,000 | $72,000 | 2573 |
| 10 | Wollongong | 108 | $2,050 | $70,000 | 2475 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 118 | $2,400 | $80,000 | 2363 |
| 12 | Hobart | 94 | $1,700 | $64,000 | 2264 |
| 13 | Geelong | 102 | $1,800 | $68,000 | 2212 |
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: 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.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. the spread across all 13 cities is 8 points on the cost index. Geelong sits at the other end with index 102 and rent of $1,800/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Hobart leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (72), and walkability (62) 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.
Perth — cost index 110, rent $2,300/mo, income $82,000, QoL 65/100.
Darwin — cost index 112, rent $2,100/mo, income $76,000, QoL 56/100.
Brisbane — cost index 105, rent $2,200/mo, income $76,000, QoL 64/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 102, rent $2,100/mo, income $68,000, QoL 62/100.
Cairns — cost index 95, rent $1,600/mo, income $62,000, QoL 64/100.
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. Geelong (#13) has index 102 and rent $1,800/mo — a 8-point gap.
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.