Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Geelong walkability score: 58/100, transit score 28/100, average commute 22 min. How walkable is Geelong vs other Victoria cities?
Geelong walkability score: 58/100, transit score 28/100, average commute 22 min. How walkable is Geelong vs other Victoria cities?
Geelong: cost index 107 (-6 vs national avg 113), rent $2,050/month.
Victoria region average cost index: 113. Geelong is -6 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 68, healthcare 72, walkability 58.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 45.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | Walk Score | Transit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 | 58 | 28 |
| 2 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 | 80 | 76 |
| 3 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 | 76 | 72 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 | 62 | 38 |
| 5 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 | 62 | 55 |
| 6 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 | 62 | 45 |
| 7 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 | 62 | 28 |
| 8 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 | 58 | 32 |
| 9 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 | 58 | 48 |
| 10 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 | 55 | 22 |
| 11 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 | 52 | 22 |
| 12 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 | 48 | 32 |
| 13 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 | 48 | 38 |
Think you know which city wins? The data might disagree. Geelong has a cost index of 107 — 6 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $72,000 with rent at $2,050/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 34%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Looking at the bigger picture, looking at Victoria as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 13 points on the cost index. Canberra sits at the other end with index 120 and rent of $2,750/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Geelong scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (72), and walkability (58) metrics. Digging deeper, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Geelong — cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000, QoL 62/100.
Melbourne — cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500, QoL 62/100.
Sydney — cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000, QoL 62/100.
Newcastle — cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo, income $76,000, QoL 62/100.
Brisbane — cost index 112, rent $2,550/mo, income $80,000, QoL 62/100.
Geelong has a cost index of 107 (national avg: 113), rent $2,050/mo, median income $72,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The Victoria region of average QoL score is 63/100. Geelong 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.
Geelong: cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 62/100. Melbourne: cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500/yr, QoL 62/100.
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.