Living in Canberra

In Canberra, unemployment is 3.8% (2021).

Canberra (statistical area Canberra–Queanbeyan) is the national capital of Australia. The climate observations are from 2020, while the cost estimates are from July 2026.

Last checked 2026-10-048 sources

Population490,517people10 Aug 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia

Median gross salary (region)3,213EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au

Median rent1,238EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · 2021 Canberra - Queanbeyan, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

Unemployment rate3.8%country median 4.5% — 16% belowOfficial source · Australian Bureau of Statistics

PM2.5, annual mean6.5µg/m³country median 6.0 — 8% aboveOfficial source · ACT Air Quality Report 2024

Lower unemployment than 70% of Australian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 70% of Australian cities that publish it.

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Canberra?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in AustraliaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Canberra.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Practical estimates in July 2026 placed basic utilities for an 85 m² home at €163.09 per month, fixed internet at €49.1 per month, and an inexpensive restaurant meal at €18.3. A monthly estimate placed a mobile plan with at least 10 GB of data at €25 in July 2026. A monthly estimate placed a fitness-club membership at €69.64 in July 2026.

What recurs every month5 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€2098

Utilities, 85 m² flat€163

Fitness club€70

Internet, 60 Mbps€49

Mobile plan, 10 GB€25

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	69.64 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra⁷Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	49.1 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra⁷Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	2,098 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra⁷Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	18.3 EUR	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra⁷Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	25.12 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra⁷Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	163.1 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra⁷Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	195,672 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Main residence dwellings	182,655 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median weekly rent (AUD)	450 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median monthly rent (whole dwelling)	1,238 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Canberra - Queanbeyan, Census All persons QuickStats \| Australian Bureau of Statistics¹Official

Is Canberra a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker38%strong on work, weak on safety · range 29–47%

Skilled employee66%strong on work, weak on safety · range 58–74%

Student42%strong on education, weak on safety · range 34–50%

Family62%strong on family, weak on safety · range 53–71%

Retirement37%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 26–48%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Canberra - Queanbeyan?

The unemployment rate is 3.8 % (August 2021). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics¹

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Canberra is 3.8%. Of 100 cities with data, 32 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

1–22–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–1013–14

Canberra 3.8%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People in full-time employment	177,398 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Employment rate	67 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median household income (AUD/week)	2,350 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median personal income (AUD/week)	1,195 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median gross salary (regional)	3,213 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	www.abs.gov.au⁶Official
Unemployment rate	3.8 %country median 4.5%	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics¹Official

What does a salary buy in Canberra?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€1,180of €2,656 take-home

Rent
Utilities
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	€2,656
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · 2021 Canberra - Queanbeyan, Census All persons QuickStats \| Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2021-12-31	− €1,238
Public transport passnot published for this city	—
Utilities, 85 m²€163 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra · 2026-07-31	− €163
Internet€49 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra · 2026-07-31	− €49
Mobile plan€25 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra · 2026-07-31	− €25
Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish	€1,180

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Canberra Salary needed to live in Canberra

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Canberra. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Workforce Australia — Public employment service

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Job Search

Open official service

Open the Australia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Canberra. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

A monthly estimate placed private kindergarten fees at €2,098 in July 2026.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People who speak a language other than English at home	24.06 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Canberra. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) — State Language Course

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

For eligible migrants, humanitarian entrants.

EnglishIn Person, Online, HybridFree

Open official information

Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) — Newcomer Adaptation

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

For humanitarian entrants.

In Person, HybridFree

Open official information

Open the full Australia section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Canberra.

Find courses near Canberra

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 21.7°C in January and 6.2°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 57.4 mm in January and 39.5 mm in July. Average monthly highs reached 29.4°C in January and 12.3°C in July. Average monthly lows ranged from 0°C in July to 14.1°C in January.

Is the air quality good in Canberra - Queanbeyan?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6.5 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: ACT Air Quality Report 2024²

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

0°

29°14°

28°14°

25°11°

21°6°

17°3°

13°1°

12°0°

14°1°

17°3°

21°6°

24°9°

27°12°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

JFMAMJJASOND

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.56.5WHO 5 · EU 25

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in AustraliaAnnual PM2.5 in Canberra is 6.5 µg/m³. Of 37 cities with data, 12 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.

3–44–55–66–77–88–99–10

Canberra 6.5

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	6.5 µg/m³country median 6.0	31 Dec 2024	ACT Air Quality Report 2024²Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 29.4 · Feb 27.9 · Mar 25 · Apr 20.8 · May 16.6 · Jun 13 · Jul 12.3 · Aug 13.9 · Sep 17.2 · Oct 20.7 · Nov 24 · Dec 26.9 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁸Independent
Average night-time low by month	Jan 14.1 · Feb 13.6 · Mar 10.7 · Apr 6.5 · May 2.7 · Jun 1.2 · Jul 0 · Aug 0.7 · Sep 3.3 · Oct 6.2 · Nov 9.4 · Dec 12 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁸Independent
Average temperature by month	Jan 21.7 · Feb 20.7 · Mar 17.9 · Apr 13.7 · May 9.7 · Jun 7.1 · Jul 6.2 · Aug 7.3 · Sep 10.2 · Oct 13.5 · Nov 16.7 · Dec 19.5 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁸Independent
Average precipitation by month	Jan 57.4 · Feb 58.7 · Mar 47.2 · Apr 29.4 · May 29.1 · Jun 49.9 · Jul 39.5 · Aug 44.2 · Sep 53.4 · Oct 49.8 · Nov 67.3 · Dec 61.6 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV⁸Independent

Population and city profile

How many people live in Canberra - Queanbeyan?

The published population was 490,517 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport71.8%
Foreign residents28.2%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	517.1 km²	31 Dec 2021	Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.⁴Official
Foreign-resident share	32 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics¹Official
Foreign residents	138,385 people	10 Aug 2021	Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.³Official
Population density	1,008 people/km²	31 Dec 2025	Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation.⁵Official
Female residents	248,096 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Male residents	242,424 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Population	490,517 people	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025

339,320

404,383

469,447

534,510

521,049200120052011201520212025

Population rose 47.7% between 2001 and 2025, from 352,781 to 521,049.

International community in Canberra

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	490,517	100.0%
Australia	333,632	68.0%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)	138,385	28.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total	490,517	100.0%
Australia	333,632	68.0%
Country of birth not stated	18,501	3.8%
India	18,220	3.7%
Born elsewhere(d)	17,710	3.6%
England	13,997	2.9%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)	12,311	2.5%
Nepal	6,185	1.3%
New Zealand	5,636	1.1%
Philippines	5,556	1.1%
Vietnam	4,146	0.8%

Show 42 more groups

Published group	People	Share
United States of America	3,558	0.7%
Sri Lanka	3,381	0.7%
Pakistan	3,044	0.6%
Malaysia	2,942	0.6%
Korea, Republic of (South)	2,600	0.5%
South Africa	2,485	0.5%
Germany	2,379	0.5%
Italy	2,182	0.4%
Bangladesh	2,096	0.4%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)	1,931	0.4%
Scotland	1,930	0.4%
Thailand	1,721	0.4%
Croatia	1,499	0.3%
Canada	1,465	0.3%
Indonesia	1,402	0.3%
Singapore	1,198	0.2%
Fiji	1,181	0.2%
Iran	1,151	0.2%
Greece	1,115	0.2%
Netherlands	1,067	0.2%
Poland	1,057	0.2%
North Macedonia	988	0.2%
Ireland	953	0.2%
Japan	871	0.2%
Chile	855	0.2%
France	791	0.2%
Afghanistan	755	0.2%
Papua New Guinea	750	0.2%
Iraq	745	0.2%
Zimbabwe	734	0.1%
Taiwan	708	0.1%
Myanmar	677	0.1%
Brazil	628	0.1%
Egypt	593	0.1%
Lebanon	483	0.1%
Wales	483	0.1%
Cambodia	469	0.1%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	440	0.1%
Mauritius	370	0.1%
Samoa	328	0.1%
Turkey	316	0.1%
Malta	298	0.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Citizenship

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	490,517	100.0%
Australian citizen	421,507	85.9%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	28.21 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Households	182,655 households	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Labour force participation rate	69.7 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median age	35 years	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median monthly mortgage repayment (AUD)	2,058 AUD/month	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Alternatives for people set on Canberra

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Darwin as a Canberra alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

Residents: 127,215 Darwin vs 490,517 Canberra−74%
Foreign residents: 37.4% Darwin vs 32.0% Canberra+17%
Median gross pay, region: €3,017 Darwin vs €3,213 Canberra−6%

Full comparison More about Darwin

Lisbon as a Canberra alternative in another country

Better on 2 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

Foreign residents: 20.2% (2023) Lisbon vs 32.0% (2021) Canberrano percentage
A meal out: €15 Lisbon vs €18 Canberra−18%
Basic utilities, 85 m²: €150 Lisbon vs €163 Canberra−8%

Full comparison More about Lisbon

Alternative cities in Australia

Other cities in Australia to compare with Canberra, nearest in population first.

All Australia cities

Newcastle510,175 residents Sunshine Coast387,472 residents Central Coast345,066 residents Gold Coast701,928 residents Wollongong305,976 residents Geelong289,566 residents

How does Canberra compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Canberra's.

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Canberra in rankings

#6 of 30 in Most international cities in Australia #7 of 30 in Largest cities in Australia #21 of 30 in Cities with lowest unemployment in Australia #24 of 30 in Cities with cleanest air in Australia

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Canberra when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Put Canberra's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Canberra - Queanbeyan?

The published population was 490,517 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia.

Is the air quality good in Canberra - Queanbeyan?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6.5 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: ACT Air Quality Report 2024.

What is the unemployment rate in Canberra - Queanbeyan?

The unemployment rate is 3.8 % (August 2021). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

What is the typical salary around Canberra?

The median gross salary is 3,213 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Canberra?

138,385 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality..

Is Canberra a good place to live?

Canberra may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Australia live in Canberra?

The official country of birth distribution records 333,632 people (68.0%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Canberra, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs, climate [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 8f9734a245a87f4ba63ea1093798147f]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/canberra-queanbeyan/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_canberra-australia-population-rent-salary-jobs-climate_9506f980cf22,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Canberra, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs, climate},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {8f9734a245a87f4ba63ea1093798147f},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/canberra-queanbeyan/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Canberra, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs, climate](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/canberra-queanbeyan/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 8f9734a245a87f4ba63ea1093798147f; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

2021 Canberra - Queanbeyan, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics abs.gov.au · checked 2026-09-12
ACT Air Quality Report 2024 accesscanberra.act.gov.au · checked 2026-10-04
Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-08-10
Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA. geo.abs.gov.au · checked 2016-07-01
Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-06-30
www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27
Lebenshaltungskosten in Canberra de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-26
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.