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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in Melbourne, Australia (2026): cost index 124 (+11 vs national avg), rent $2,750/mo, median income $84,500/yr. Rent takes 39% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Victoria peers below.
Cost of living in Melbourne, Australia (2026): cost index 124 (+11 vs national avg), rent $2,750/mo, median income $84,500/yr. Rent takes 39% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Victoria peers below.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 124 | $2,750 | $84,500 |
| 2 | Cairns | 100 | $1,820 | $66,000 |
| 3 | Hobart | 100 | $1,920 | $68,000 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 104 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 5 | Geelong | 107 | $2,050 | $72,000 |
| 6 | Gold Coast | 109 | $2,400 | $72,000 |
| 7 | Newcastle | 110 | $2,250 | $76,000 |
| 8 | Brisbane | 112 | $2,550 | $80,000 |
| 9 | Wollongong | 113 | $2,300 | $74,000 |
| 10 | Darwin | 116 | $2,350 | $80,000 |
| 11 | Perth | 118 | $2,650 | $87,000 |
| 12 | Canberra | 120 | $2,750 | $101,000 |
| 13 | Sydney | 132 | $3,200 | $90,000 |
Melbourne: cost index 124 (+11 vs national avg 113), rent $2,750/month.
Victoria region average cost index: 113. Melbourne is +11 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 64, healthcare 84, walkability 80.
Safety score: 64/100 (crime rate 48.2/1k). National average: 66/100.
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Melbourne has a cost index of 124 — 11 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $84,500 with rent at $2,750/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 39%. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
But here's the flip side: looking at Victoria as a whole, the spread across all 13 cities is 8 points on the cost index. Sydney sits at the other end with index 132 and rent of $3,200/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Melbourne scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (64), healthcare (84), and walkability (80) 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.
Melbourne — cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500, 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.
Geelong — cost index 107, rent $2,050/mo, income $72,000, QoL 62/100.
Melbourne has a cost index of 124 (national avg: 113). Median rent is $2,750/month, median income $84,500/year, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 39%.
The Victoria region of average QoL score is 63/100. Melbourne 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.
Melbourne: cost index 124, rent $2,750/mo, income $84,500/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.