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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Darwin leads with a cost index of 116 and rent of $2,350/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Darwin leads with a cost index of 116 and rent of $2,350/month.
Darwin: cost index 116 (+3 vs national avg 113), rent $2,350/month.
Northern Territory region average cost index: 115. Darwin is +1 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 55/100 — safety 48, healthcare 58, walkability 52.
Safety score: 48/100 (crime rate 85.4/1k). National average: 66/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
| 2 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
Here's the surprising part: Darwin has a cost index of 116 — 3 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $80,000 with rent at $2,350/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 35%. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Darwin scores a composite score of 55/100 — reflecting its safety (48), healthcare (58), and walkability (52) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Darwin — cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo, income $80,000, QoL 55/100.
Wollongong — cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000, QoL 63/100.
Darwin has a cost index of 116 (national avg: 113), rent $2,350/mo, median income $80,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 55/100.
The Northern Territory region of average QoL score is 59/100. Darwin leads with 55/100, 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.
Darwin: cost index 116, rent $2,350/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 55/100. Wollongong: cost index 113, rent $2,300/mo, income $74,000/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.