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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Canberra leads with a cost index of 120 and rent of $2,750/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Canberra leads with a cost index of 120 and rent of $2,750/month.
Canberra: cost index 120 (+7 vs national avg 113), rent $2,750/month.
Australian Capital Territory region average cost index: 115. Canberra is +5 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 67/100 — safety 78, healthcare 85, walkability 48.
Safety score: 78/100 (crime rate 28.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 2 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Canberra has a cost index of 120 — 7 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $101,000 with rent at $2,750/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 33%. That gap is hard to ignore.
On quality of life, Canberra scores a composite score of 67/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (85), and walkability (48) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Canberra — cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000, QoL 67/100.
Gold Coast — cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000, QoL 60/100.
Canberra has a cost index of 120 (national avg: 113), rent $2,750/mo, median income $101,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 67/100.
The Australian Capital Territory region of average QoL score is 64/100. Canberra 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.
Canberra: cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000/yr, QoL 67/100. Gold Coast: cost index 109, rent $2,400/mo, income $72,000/yr, QoL 60/100.
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.