Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Sydney leads with a cost index of 132 and rent of $3,200/month.
Ranking of cities in Australia for 2026. Sydney leads with a cost index of 132 and rent of $3,200/month.
Sydney: cost index 132 (+19 vs national avg 113), rent $3,200/month.
New South Wales region average cost index: 126. Sydney is +6 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 68, healthcare 85, walkability 76.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 42.5/1k). National average: 66/100.
Let's cut to what actually matters here. Sydney has a cost index of 132 — 19 points above the Australia national average of 113. Median income is $90,000 with rent at $3,200/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 43%. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
On quality of life, Sydney scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (85), and walkability (76) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Australia is a good example of that tension.
Sydney — cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000, QoL 62/100.
Canberra — cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000, QoL 67/100.
Sydney has a cost index of 132 (national avg: 113), rent $3,200/mo, median income $90,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The New South Wales region of average QoL score is 65/100. Sydney 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.
Sydney: cost index 132, rent $3,200/mo, income $90,000/yr, QoL 62/100. Canberra: cost index 120, rent $2,750/mo, income $101,000/yr, QoL 67/100.
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.