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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Geelong, Australia (2026): cost index 107 (-6 vs national avg), rent $2,050/mo, median income $72,000/yr. Rent takes 34% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Victoria peers below.
Cost of living in Geelong, Australia (2026): cost index 107 (-6 vs national avg), rent $2,050/mo, median income $72,000/yr. Rent takes 34% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Victoria peers below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 2 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 3 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $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 |
Geelong: cost index 107 (-6 vs national avg 113), rent $2,050/month.
Victoria region average cost index: 113. Geelong is -6 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 68, healthcare 72, walkability 58.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 45.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Geelong has a cost index of 107 — 6 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $72,000 with rent at $2,050/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 34%. That's a strong position by any measure.
That said, looking at Victoria as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 25 points on the cost index. Sydney sits at the other end with index 132 and rent of $3,200/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Geelong scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (72), and walkability (58) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Geelong — cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000, QoL 62/100.
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.
Adelaide — cost index 104, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Geelong has a cost index of 107 (national avg: 113), rent $2,050/mo, median income $72,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The Victoria region of average QoL score is 63/100. Geelong 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.
Geelong: cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 62/100. 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.