Best places to retire in Australia
For retirees, Bendigo ranks highest in Australia (retire score 75/100), balancing affordability, a mild climate and safety. The most affordable option is Bendigo. Our retire score = 40% cost + 30% climate + 30% safety.
Top retirement cities in Australia
- Bendigo — retire score 75/100 (cost 50, climate 100, safety 82)
- Hobart — retire score 74/100 (cost 48, climate 100, safety 83)
- Geelong — retire score 74/100 (cost 48, climate 100, safety 82)
- City of Port Phillip — retire score 74/100 (cost 50, climate 100, safety 81)
- Ballarat — retire score 74/100 (cost 50, climate 100, safety 81)
- Wollongong — retire score 73/100 (cost 48, climate 100, safety 78)
- Toowoomba — retire score 72/100 (cost 49, climate 100, safety 76)
- Newcastle — retire score 71/100 (cost 46, climate 100, safety 75)
- Central Coast — retire score 71/100 (cost 47, climate 100, safety 74)
- Adelaide — retire score 70/100 (cost 44, climate 100, safety 75)
- Logan City — retire score 70/100 (cost 47, climate 96, safety 75)
- Gold Coast — retire score 70/100 (cost 46, climate 98, safety 73)
Retire score weights affordability, climate comfort and disaster+crime safety. It does not include healthcare quality or retirement-visa rules — verify those separately.
FAQ
Where is the best place to retire in Australia?
Bendigo ranks highest in our retirement score (75/100), balancing affordability, mild climate and safety.
Is Australia a good place to retire?
Australia's best retirement city scores 75/100; the most affordable is Bendigo (cost 50/100). We weigh cost, climate and natural-disaster + crime safety — not healthcare or visas, which you should check separately.
What's the cheapest place to retire in Australia?
Bendigo has the lowest cost of living in Australia in our data.