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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Melbourne for retirees: QoL 62/100, healthcare 84/100, cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo. Compared to 12 other Victoria cities below.
Melbourne for retirees: QoL 62/100, healthcare 84/100, cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo. Compared to 12 other Victoria cities below.
Melbourne: cost index 124 (+11 vs national avg 113), rent $2,750/month.
Victoria region average cost index: 113. Melbourne is +11 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 64, healthcare 84, walkability 80.
Safety score: 64/100 (crime rate 48.2/1k). National average: 66/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 |
| 2 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 3 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 4 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 5 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 6 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 7 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 |
| 8 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 10 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 11 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
| 12 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 13 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
One stat flips the usual narrative: Melbourne has a cost index of 124 — 11 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $84,500 with rent at $2,750/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 39%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
Context matters here. looking at Victoria as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 8 points on the cost index. Darwin sits at the other end with index 116 and rent of $2,350/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Melbourne scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (64), healthcare (84), and walkability (80) 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.
Melbourne — cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500, QoL 62/100.
Hobart — cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, income $68,000, QoL 68/100.
Adelaide — cost index 104, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Canberra — cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000, QoL 67/100.
Wollongong — cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000, QoL 63/100.
Melbourne scores 62/100 on the relevant index for retirees — with rent of $2,750/month and cost index 124 (11 points above the national average of 113).
The Victoria region of average QoL score is 63/100. Melbourne 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.
Melbourne: cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500/yr, QoL 62/100. Hobart: cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, income $68,000/yr, QoL 68/100.
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.