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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Wollongong, Australia (2026): cost index 113 (0 vs national avg), rent $2,300/mo, median income $74,000/yr. Rent takes 37% of gross income. Full breakdown vs New South Wales peers below.
Cost of living in Wollongong, Australia (2026): cost index 113 (0 vs national avg), rent $2,300/mo, median income $74,000/yr. Rent takes 37% of gross income. Full breakdown vs New South Wales peers below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 2 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 3 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
Wollongong: cost index 113 (0 vs national avg 113), rent $2,300/month.
New South Wales region average cost index: 118. Wollongong is -5 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 63/100 — safety 72, healthcare 72, walkability 58.
Safety score: 72/100 (crime rate 38.8/1k). National average: 66/100.
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. Wollongong has a cost index of 113 — 0 points below the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $74,000 with rent at $2,300/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 37%. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
On quality of life, Wollongong scores a composite score of 63/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (72), and walkability (58) metrics. And here's the trade-off: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Wollongong — cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000, QoL 63/100.
Newcastle — cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo, income $76,000, QoL 62/100.
Sydney — cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000, QoL 62/100.
Wollongong has a cost index of 113 (national avg: 113), rent $2,300/mo, median income $74,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 63/100.
The New South Wales region of average QoL score is 62/100. Wollongong leads with 63/100, 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.
Wollongong: cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000/yr, QoL 63/100. Newcastle: cost index 110, rent $2,250/mo, income $76,000/yr, QoL 62/100.
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.