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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Adelaide, Australia (2026): cost index 104 (-9 vs national avg), rent $2,100/mo, median income $72,000/yr. Rent takes 35% of gross income. Full breakdown vs South Australia peers below.
Cost of living in Adelaide, Australia (2026): cost index 104 (-9 vs national avg), rent $2,100/mo, median income $72,000/yr. Rent takes 35% of gross income. Full breakdown vs South Australia peers below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 2 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 3 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 4 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 5 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 7 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
| 8 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 9 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
| 10 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 |
| 11 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 12 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 |
| 13 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
Adelaide: cost index 104 (-9 vs national avg 113), rent $2,100/month.
South Australia region average cost index: 113. Adelaide is -9 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 67/100 — safety 70, healthcare 78, walkability 62.
Safety score: 70/100 (crime rate 42.8/1k). National average: 66/100.
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Adelaide has a cost index of 104 — 9 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $72,000 with rent at $2,100/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 35%. That's a strong position by any measure.
But here's the flip side: looking at South Australia as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 28 points on the cost index. Sydney sits at the other end with index 132 and rent of $3,200/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Adelaide scores a composite score of 67/100 — reflecting its safety (70), healthcare (78), and walkability (62) 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.
Adelaide — cost index 104, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Cairns — cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000, QoL 63/100.
Hobart — cost index 100, rent $1,920/mo, income $68,000, QoL 68/100.
Geelong — cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000, QoL 62/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Adelaide has a cost index of 104 (national avg: 113), rent $2,100/mo, median income $72,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 67/100.
The South Australia region of average QoL score is 63/100. Adelaide leads with 67/100, 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.
Adelaide: cost index 104, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 67/100. Cairns: cost index 100, rent $1,820/mo, income $66,000/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.