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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Darwin housing market (2026): median home price $530,000, rent $2,350/mo, rent-to-income ratio 35%. Compared to Northern Territory peers.
Darwin housing market (2026): median home price $530,000, rent $2,350/mo, rent-to-income ratio 35%. Compared to Northern Territory peers.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
| 2 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 3 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 4 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 5 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 |
| 6 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 7 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 8 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 9 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 10 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
| 11 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 12 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 |
| 13 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
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.
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: 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.
That said, looking at Northern Territory as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 16 points on the cost index. Sydney sits at the other end with index 132 and rent of $3,200/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Darwin scores a composite score of 55/100 — reflecting its safety (48), healthcare (58), and walkability (52) metrics. Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. 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.
Cairns — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000, QoL 63/100.
Hobart — cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, income $68,000, QoL 68/100.
Geelong — cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000, QoL 62/100.
Perth — cost index 118, rent $2,650/mo, income $87,000, 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. Cairns: cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000/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.