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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in New South Wales for 2026. Sydney leads with a cost index of 132 and rent of $3,200/month.
Ranking of cities in New South Wales for 2026. Sydney leads with a cost index of 132 and rent of $3,200/month.
Sydney ranks #1 with a cost index of 132 and rent of $3,200/month.
The median city is Newcastle — cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 118 (+5 vs national average of 113).
Average quality of life: 62/100. Top: Sydney at 62/100.
Safest city: Wollongong (72/100 safety score).
After analyzing dozens of cities, one thing stands out: Sydney stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 132 and median income of $90,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Wollongong leads with a composite score of 63/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (72), and walkability (58) metrics. What's equally notable: 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 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
| 2 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 3 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
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.
Wollongong — cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000, QoL 63/100.
Sydney ranks #1 in New South Wales for this analysis with a cost index of 132 and median income of $90,000.
The region average QoL score is 63/100. Sydney 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.
Sydney (ranked #1) has a cost index of 132 and rent of $3,200/mo. Wollongong (#3) has index 113 and rent $2,300/mo — a 19-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.