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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cairns for students: rent $1,820/mo, cost index 100 vs UK median 113, 1 university. Compared to 2 other Queensland cities below.
Cairns for students: rent $1,820/mo, cost index 100 vs UK median 113, 1 university. Compared to 2 other Queensland cities below.
Cairns: cost index 100 (-13 vs national avg 113), rent $1,820/month.
Queensland region average cost index: 107. Cairns is -7 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 63/100 — safety 58, healthcare 62, walkability 55.
Safety score: 58/100 (crime rate 68.2/1k). National average: 66/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 2 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 3 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': Cairns has a cost index of 100 — 13 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $66,000 with rent at $1,820/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 33%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Cairns scores a composite score of 63/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (62), and walkability (55) metrics. And here's the trade-off: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Cairns — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000, QoL 63/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Brisbane — cost index 112, rent $2,550/mo, income $80,000, QoL 62/100.
Cairns scores 63/100 on the relevant index for students — with rent of $1,820/month and cost index 100 (13 points below the national average of 113).
The Queensland region of average QoL score is 62/100. Cairns leads with 63/100, 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.
Cairns: cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000/yr, QoL 63/100. Gold Coast: cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 60/100.
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.