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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Melbourne climate: 2363 sunshine hours/year, avg summer 26°C / winter 10°C. Compared to other Victoria cities.
Melbourne climate: 2363 sunshine hours/year, avg summer 26°C / winter 10°C. Compared to other Victoria cities.
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 | Sunshine hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 | 2363 |
| 2 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 | 3212 |
| 3 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 | 3100 |
| 4 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 | 2884 |
| 5 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 | 2884 |
| 6 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 | 2800 |
| 7 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 | 2738 |
| 8 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 | 2681 |
| 9 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 | 2636 |
| 10 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 | 2573 |
| 11 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 | 2475 |
| 12 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 | 2264 |
| 13 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 | 2212 |
Here's the surprising part: 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%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
But here's the flip side: looking at Victoria as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 17 points on the cost index. Geelong sits at the other end with index 107 and rent of $2,050/mo. That's not a marginal difference — it reshapes your monthly budget.
On quality of life, Melbourne scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (64), healthcare (84), and walkability (80) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: 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.
Perth — cost index 118, rent $2,650/mo, income $87,000, QoL 63/100.
Darwin — cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo, income $80,000, QoL 55/100.
Brisbane — cost index 112, rent $2,550/mo, income $80,000, QoL 62/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Melbourne has a cost index of 124 (national avg: 113), rent $2,750/mo, median income $84,500/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
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. Perth: cost index 118, rent $2,650/mo, income $87,000/yr, QoL 63/100.
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.