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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Gold Coast leads with a cost index of 109 and rent of $2,400/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Gold Coast leads with a cost index of 109 and rent of $2,400/month.
Gold Coast: cost index 109 (-4 vs national avg 113), rent $2,400/month.
Queensland region average cost index: 115. Gold Coast is -6 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 60/100 — safety 62, healthcare 72, walkability 48.
Safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 58.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Gold Coast has a cost index of 109 — 4 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $72,000 with rent at $2,400/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 40%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Gold Coast scores a composite score of 60/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (72), and walkability (48) metrics. That said, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 2 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Canberra — cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000, QoL 67/100.
Gold Coast has a cost index of 109 (national avg: 113), rent $2,400/mo, median income $72,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 60/100.
The Queensland region of average QoL score is 64/100. Gold Coast leads with 60/100, 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.
Gold Coast: cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 60/100. Canberra: cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000/yr, QoL 67/100.
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.