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Living in Darwin

Darwin is a city in Australia. Its population was 127,215 in August 2021. In August 2021, the foreign population was 37,259.

Lower unemployment than 79% of Australian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 96% of Australian cities that publish it.

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

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 Darwin.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$385 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$2,054 in August 2021.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Darwin recurring monthly costs, € per month€1669Private kindergarten€161Utilities, 85 m² flat€57Internet, 60 Mbps€41Transport pass€41Fitness club€29Mobile plan, 10 GB€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly40.69 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited57.31 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly1,669 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant13.48 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB29.49 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Darwin. Jul 2026. Prices in Darwin9Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass40.74 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home161.2 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings47,731 dwellings31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings43,351 dwellings31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median Weekly Rent Aud385 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 3.3% in March 2026. Median personal income was A$1,122 per week in August 2021. Median household income was A$2,199 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Darwin?

The unemployment rate is 3.3 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 202610

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Darwin is 3.3%. Of 100 cities with data, 29 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Australia per band4 cities: 1% to under 2%41–29 cities: 2% to under 3%92–323 cities: 3% to under 4%233–4Darwin 3.3%29 cities: 4% to under 5%294–518 cities: 5% to under 6%185–69 cities: 6% to under 7%96–73 cities: 7% to under 8%37–82 cities: 8% to under 9%28–91 city: 9% to under 10%19–102 cities: 13% to under 14%213–14

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Employment Full Time Count46,662 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Employment rate67.1 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median Household Income Aud Week2,199 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median Personal Income Aud Week1,122 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median gross salary (regional)2,546 EUR/month31 Dec 2021www.abs.gov.au8Official
Unemployment rate3.3 %country median 4.4%31 Mar 2026DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 202610Independent

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Darwin. 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 Darwin. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Language Other Than English At Home Share Percent25.36 %10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Language courses and integration in Darwin

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records
Check courses in DarwinHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Darwin?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.1 µg/m³ (2019) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int3

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
Darwin average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°40°JFMAMJJASOND34°19°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Darwin average monthly precipitation, mm0120240360480471412314105212111469144279JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Darwin average monthly sunshine, hours05101520667910101011101097JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Darwin annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5259.1PM2.5µg/m³

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 Darwin is 9.1 µg/m³. Of 25 cities with data, 7 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Australia per band4 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³44–57 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³75–66 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³66–74 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³47–82 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³28–92 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³29–10Darwin 9.1

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean9.1 µg/m³country median 6.131 Dec 2019cdn.who.int3Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 32 · Feb 31.7 · Mar 32.3 · Apr 33 · May 32.3 · Jun 31.1 · Jul 31.1 · Aug 31.9 · Sep 33.1 · Oct 33.8 · Nov 33.7 · Dec 33 °C31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — DARWIN AIRPORT, 1991-20202Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 25.1 · Feb 25.1 · Mar 24.9 · Apr 24.2 · May 22.3 · Jun 20 · Jul 19.3 · Aug 19.8 · Sep 22.9 · Oct 24.8 · Nov 25.4 · Dec 25.5 °C31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — DARWIN AIRPORT, 1991-20202Official
Average temperature by monthJan 28.5 · Feb 28.3 · Mar 28.5 · Apr 28.6 · May 27.3 · Jun 25.6 · Jul 25.2 · Aug 25.9 · Sep 28 · Oct 29.3 · Nov 29.6 · Dec 29.3 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station DARWIN AIRPORT7Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 470.7 · Feb 412.4 · Mar 313.7 · Apr 105.1 · May 20.7 · Jun 2.2 · Jul 0.9 · Aug 0.8 · Sep 14.3 · Oct 68.9 · Nov 143.5 · Dec 279.3 mm31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — DARWIN AIRPORT, 1991-20202Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 5.7 · Feb 5.8 · Mar 6.9 · Apr 8.8 · May 9.7 · Jun 10.1 · Jul 10.3 · Aug 10.5 · Sep 9.9 · Oct 9.5 · Nov 8.5 · Dec 6.5 hours31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — DARWIN AIRPORT, 1991-20202Official

Cities of a similar size in Australia

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Australia cities
Townsville142,163 residentsBallarat111,973 residentsBendigo103,034 residentsAlbury - Wodonga97,793 residentsLaunceston90,953 residentsMaryborough84,333 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 374.4 km² in 2016. Population density was 359.2 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Darwin?

The published population was 127,215 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Darwin residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport70.7%Foreign residents29.3%

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area374.4 km²1 Jul 2016Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.5Official
Foreign-resident share37.4 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics1Official
Foreign residents37,259 people10 Aug 2021Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.4Official
Population density359.2 people/km²30 Jun 2021Reproducible 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.6Official
Population Female63,059 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Population Male64,159 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Population127,215 people10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025
Population in Darwin by year, residents96,087113,606131,125148,644200120052011201520212025145,019residents

Population rose 45.4% between 2001 and 2025, from 99,730 to 145,019.

International community in Darwin

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 groupPeopleShare
Total persons127,215100.0%
Australia79,64562.6%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)37,25929.3%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

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 groupPeopleShare
Total127,215100.0%
Australia79,64562.6%
Country of birth not stated10,3128.1%
Philippines5,2084.1%
Born elsewhere(d)4,3383.4%
India3,8043.0%
England3,3682.6%
Nepal2,5412.0%
New Zealand2,2071.7%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)1,3921.1%
Indonesia1,2501.0%
Show 42 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Greece1,1390.9%
Sri Lanka1,0560.8%
Vietnam1,0400.8%
Thailand8380.7%
Bangladesh6390.5%
Malaysia6280.5%
South Africa6100.5%
Pakistan5980.5%
Ireland5790.5%
Germany5280.4%
Zimbabwe4150.3%
Taiwan4050.3%
Scotland4040.3%
United States of America3930.3%
Papua New Guinea3920.3%
Italy3500.3%
Fiji2900.2%
Korea, Republic of (South)2830.2%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)2710.2%
Singapore2680.2%
Canada2360.2%
France2140.2%
Netherlands2090.2%
Japan1670.1%
Brazil1650.1%
Myanmar1650.1%
Cambodia1590.1%
Wales1030.1%
Poland900.1%
Iran870.1%
Mauritius680.1%
Chile560.0%
Egypt540.0%
Bosnia and Herzegovina420.0%
Lebanon410.0%
Turkey370.0%
Samoa320.0%
Afghanistan270.0%
Croatia270.0%
Malta220.0%
Iraq150.0%
North Macedonia70.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Citizenship

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Total persons127,215100.0%
Australian citizen97,95977.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Is Darwin 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 worker53%strong on work, weak on safety · range 44–62%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on safety · range 56–72%
Student62%strong on education, weak on safety · range 54–70%
Family64%strong on family, weak on safety · range 55–73%
Retirement50%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 39–61%
Foreign residents37,259 people10 Aug 2021Official 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.
Population127,215 people10 Aug 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia
Dwellings47,731 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Employment rate67.1 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Median gross salary (regional)2,546 EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au
Unemployment rate3.3 %31 Mar 2026Independent source · DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad29.29 %10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Households43,351 households31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Labour force participation rate69.9 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median age34 years10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median Monthly Mortgage Repayment Aud2,054 AUD/month10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Darwin 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.

Common questions

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

How many people live in Darwin?

The published population was 127,215 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia.

Is the air quality good in Darwin?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.1 µg/m³ (2019) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int.

What is the unemployment rate in Darwin?

The unemployment rate is 3.3 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026.

What is the typical salary around Darwin?

The median gross salary is 2,546 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Darwin?

37,259 people 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..

How much is public transport in Darwin?

A monthly transport pass is 40.74 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2.

Is Darwin a good place to live?

Darwin 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 Darwin?

The official country of birth distribution records 79,645 people (62.6%) 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, September 12). Darwin, Australia: rent, salary, jobs, taxes [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/darwin/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_darwin-australia-rent-salary-jobs-taxes_7cd966ff796d,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Darwin, Australia: rent, salary, jobs, taxes},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/darwin/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Darwin, Australia: rent, salary, jobs, taxes](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/darwin/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

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
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-03
  2. BOM monthly climate statistics — DARWIN AIRPORT, 1991-2020 BOM monthly climate statistics · bom.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
  3. cdn.who.int cdn.who.int · checked 2026-08-26
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station DARWIN AIRPORT WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  8. www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27
  9. Cost of Living in Darwin. Jul 2026. Prices in Darwin numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
  10. DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026 DEWR · dewr.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
Show 1 more source
  1. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27

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.