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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Hobart leads with a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,700/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Hobart leads with a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,700/month.
Hobart ranks #1 with a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,700/month.
The median city is Brisbane — cost index 105, rent $2,200/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 107 (0 vs national average of 107).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Hobart at 70/100.
Safest city: Canberra (78/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hobart | 94 | $1,700 | $64,000 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 96 | $1,800 | $68,000 |
| 3 | Canberra | 116 | $2,500 | $96,000 |
| 4 | Wollongong | 108 | $2,050 | $70,000 |
| 5 | Perth | 110 | $2,300 | $82,000 |
| 6 | Sydney | 125 | $2,800 | $85,000 |
| 7 | Brisbane | 105 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 8 | Cairns | 95 | $1,600 | $62,000 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 105 | $2,000 | $72,000 |
| 10 | Melbourne | 118 | $2,400 | $80,000 |
| 11 | Geelong | 102 | $1,800 | $68,000 |
| 12 | Gold Coast | 102 | $2,100 | $68,000 |
| 13 | Darwin | 112 | $2,100 | $76,000 |
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Hobart stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 94 and median income of $64,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Australia. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Zooming out, the spread across all 13 cities is 18 points on the cost index. Darwin sits at the other end with index 112 and rent of $2,100/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Hobart leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (72), and walkability (62) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Hobart — cost index 94, rent $1,700/mo, income $64,000, QoL 70/100.
Adelaide — cost index 96, rent $1,800/mo, income $68,000, QoL 69/100.
Canberra — cost index 116, rent $2,500/mo, income $96,000, QoL 68/100.
Wollongong — cost index 108, rent $2,050/mo, income $70,000, QoL 65/100.
Perth — cost index 110, rent $2,300/mo, income $82,000, QoL 65/100.
Hobart scores highest for expats due to its below-average cost of living, rent of $1,700/mo, and quality of life score of 70/100.
The country average QoL score is 64/100. Hobart leads with 70/100, reflecting its 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.
Hobart (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,700/mo. Darwin (#13) has index 112 and rent $2,100/mo — a 18-point gap.
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.