Living in Sunshine Coast

In Sunshine Coast, unemployment is 3.6% (2026).

Median personal income was A$755 per week in August 2021. Foreign-born residents accounted for 21.1% of the population in 2021.

Last checked 2026-10-0411 sources

Population387,472people30 Jun 2021Official source · ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas

Median gross salary (region)2,030EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au

Median rent1,224EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · 2021 Sunshine Coast, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

Unemployment rate3.6%country median 4.5% — 20% belowIndependent source · DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026

Recorded crime6,433incidents per 100,00030 Jun 2025Regional figureOfficial source · Crime report, Queensland, 2024–25

PM2.5, annual mean5.7µg/m³country median 6.0 — 5% belowOfficial source · Queensland Air Monitoring 2025

Lower unemployment than 74% of Australian cities that publish it and cleaner air than 70% of Australian cities that publish it.

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Sunshine Coast?

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 Sunshine Coast.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$445 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,928 in August 2021.

What recurs every month5 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€1819

Utilities, 85 m² flat€122

Internet, 60 Mbps€59

Fitness club€44

Mobile plan, 10 GB€38

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	44.23 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast¹⁰Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	58.57 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast¹⁰Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	1,819 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast¹⁰Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	15.25 EUR	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast¹⁰Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	37.63 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast¹⁰Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	122 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast¹⁰Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	160,731 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Main residence dwellings	143,532 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Median weekly rent (AUD)	445 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official
Median monthly rent (whole dwelling)	1,224 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Sunshine Coast, Census All persons QuickStats \| Australian Bureau of Statistics¹Official

Is Sunshine Coast 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 worker31%strong on work, weak on safety · range 22–40%

Skilled employee56%strong on work, weak on safety · range 48–64%

Student26%strong on education, weak on housing · range 18–34%

Family50%strong on family, weak on cost · range 41–59%

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

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 3.6% in March 2026. Median household income was A$1,590 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Sunshine Coast?

The unemployment rate is 3.6 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026¹¹

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Sunshine Coast is 3.6%. Of 100 cities with data, 32 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

1–22–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–1013–14

Sunshine Coast 3.6%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People in full-time employment	92,366 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Employment rate	56.2 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Median household income (AUD/week)	1,590 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official
Median personal income (AUD/week)	755 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official
Median gross salary (regional)	2,030 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	www.abs.gov.au⁹Official
Unemployment rate	3.6 %country median 4.5%	31 Mar 2026	DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026¹¹Independent

What does a salary buy in Sunshine Coast?

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

Left over each month€0of €0 take-home

Rent
Utilities
Internet
Mobile

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.	outside the model's range
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · 2021 Sunshine Coast, Census All persons QuickStats \| Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2021-12-31	− €1,224
Public transport passnot published for this city	—
Utilities, 85 m²€122 · market price · Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast · 2026-07-31	− €122
Internet€59 · market price · Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast · 2026-07-31	− €59
Mobile plan€38 · market price · Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast · 2026-07-31	− €38
Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish	—

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

Public employment service

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

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People who speak a language other than English at home	6.16 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official

Safety

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	6,433 incidents per 100,000	30 Jun 2025	Crime report, Queensland, 2024–25⁴Official · regional context

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Sunshine Coast. 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 Sunshine Coast.

Find courses near Sunshine Coast

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Sunshine Coast?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 5.7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Queensland Air Monitoring 2025⁷

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

29°21°

28°20°

26°17°

24°14°

21°12°

21°10°

22°10°

24°13°

26°16°

27°18°

28°20°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

145

208

177

149

152

119

150

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

PM2.55.7WHO 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 Sunshine Coast is 5.7 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

Sunshine Coast 5.7

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	5.7 µg/m³country median 6.0	31 Dec 2024	Queensland Air Monitoring 2025⁷Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 29.1 · Feb 28.9 · Mar 27.9 · Apr 26.1 · May 23.6 · Jun 21.4 · Jul 21.2 · Aug 22.2 · Sep 24.4 · Oct 25.6 · Nov 27.3 · Dec 28.4 °C	31 Dec 2020	BOM monthly climate statistics — SUNSHINE COAST AIRPORT, 1991-2020³Official
Average night-time low by month	Jan 21.3 · Feb 21.3 · Mar 20.2 · Apr 17.1 · May 13.6 · Jun 11.5 · Jul 9.7 · Aug 9.8 · Sep 13 · Oct 15.7 · Nov 17.9 · Dec 19.9 °C	31 Dec 2020	BOM monthly climate statistics — SUNSHINE COAST AIRPORT, 1991-2020³Official
Average precipitation by month	Jan 144.8 · Feb 207.5 · Mar 176.8 · Apr 148.8 · May 151.6 · Jun 119 · Jul 66.4 · Aug 71.1 · Sep 53.3 · Oct 92.5 · Nov 79.8 · Dec 149.9 mm	31 Dec 2020	BOM monthly climate statistics — SUNSHINE COAST AIRPORT, 1991-2020³Official

Population and city profile

The city covered 2,100.3 km² in 2021. Population density was 202.2 people per km² in 2025.

How many people live in Sunshine Coast?

The published population was 387,472 people in June 2021. Source: ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas²

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 80,659 is not 26.1% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport79.2%
Foreign residents20.8%

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	2,100 km²	31 Dec 2021	Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.⁶Official
Foreign-resident share	26.1 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)⁵Official
Foreign residents	80,659 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.⁵Official
Population density	202.2 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.⁸Official · significant urban area
Female residents	198,685 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Male residents	184,225 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Population	387,472 people	30 Jun 2021	ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas²Official

Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025

213,982

289,439

364,896

440,353

424,741200120052011201520212025

Population rose 85.0% between 2001 and 2025, from 229,594 to 424,741.

International community in Sunshine Coast

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 G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total	382,903	100.0%
Australia	282,902	73.9%
England	23,330	6.1%
Country of birth not stated	19,349	5.1%
New Zealand	16,338	4.3%
Born elsewhere(d)	6,925	1.8%
South Africa	4,666	1.2%
India	2,440	0.6%
Germany	2,317	0.6%
Scotland	2,301	0.6%
United States of America	2,199	0.6%

Show 42 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Philippines	1,805	0.5%
Canada	1,583	0.4%
Netherlands	1,523	0.4%
Brazil	1,109	0.3%
Ireland	1,009	0.3%
Zimbabwe	890	0.2%
Nepal	869	0.2%
Thailand	857	0.2%
Italy	836	0.2%
Papua New Guinea	814	0.2%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)	806	0.2%
Wales	752	0.2%
France	730	0.2%
Korea, Republic of (South)	651	0.2%
Malaysia	560	0.1%
Japan	509	0.1%
Vietnam	461	0.1%
Poland	453	0.1%
Indonesia	420	0.1%
Fiji	397	0.1%
Singapore	342	0.1%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)	328	0.1%
Sri Lanka	318	0.1%
Taiwan	282	0.1%
Malta	209	0.1%
Croatia	208	0.1%
Chile	185	0.0%
Iran	167	0.0%
Greece	153	0.0%
Egypt	137	0.0%
Mauritius	137	0.0%
Pakistan	125	0.0%
Samoa	78	0.0%
Turkey	76	0.0%
Myanmar	71	0.0%
Cambodia	57	0.0%
Bangladesh	56	0.0%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	56	0.0%
Lebanon	48	0.0%
North Macedonia	35	0.0%
Iraq	24	0.0%
Afghanistan	22	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁵

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	382,903	100.0%
Australia	282,902	73.9%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)	80,659	21.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁵

Citizenship

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

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	382,903	100.0%
Australian citizen	332,162	86.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁵

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	21.07 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official
Households	143,532 households	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Labour force participation rate	58.8 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics⁵Official
Median age	44 years	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official
Median monthly mortgage repayment (AUD)	1,928 AUD/month	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁵Official

Alternatives for people set on Sunshine Coast

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.

Canberra as a Sunshine Coast alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

Median gross pay, region: €3,213 Canberra vs €2,030 Sunshine Coast+58%
Basic utilities, 85 m²: €163 Canberra vs €122 Sunshine Coast+34%
Foreign residents: 32.0% Canberra vs 26.1% Sunshine Coastno percentage
A meal out: €18 Canberra vs €15 Sunshine Coast+20%

Full comparison More about Canberra

Alternative cities in Australia

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

All Australia cities

Central Coast345,066 residents Canberra490,517 residents Wollongong305,976 residents Newcastle510,175 residents Geelong289,566 residents Hobart226,653 residents

How does Sunshine Coast compare?

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

Open the full comparison

Sunshine Coast in rankings

#8 of 30 in Largest cities in Australia #11 of 30 in Most international cities in Australia #13 of 30 in Cities with cleanest air in Australia #18 of 30 in Cities with lowest unemployment in Australia

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast'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 Sunshine Coast?

The published population was 387,472 people in June 2021. Source: ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas.

Is the air quality good in Sunshine Coast?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 5.7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Queensland Air Monitoring 2025.

What is the unemployment rate in Sunshine Coast?

The unemployment rate is 3.6 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026.

What is the typical salary around Sunshine Coast?

The median gross salary is 2,030 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Sunshine Coast?

80,659 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 Sunshine Coast a good place to live?

Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast?

The official country of birth distribution records 282,902 people (73.9%) 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). Sunshine Coast, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version c0e1c1013583c11ce3c2b5d217548833]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/sunshine-coast/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_sunshine-coast-australia-population-rent-salary-jobs_405ac6cc1457,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Sunshine Coast, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {c0e1c1013583c11ce3c2b5d217548833},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/sunshine-coast/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Sunshine Coast, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/sunshine-coast/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version c0e1c1013583c11ce3c2b5d217548833; 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 Sunshine Coast, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics abs.gov.au · checked 2026-10-03
ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas ABS Regional population, 2024-25 · abs.gov.au · checked 2026-09-19
BOM monthly climate statistics — SUNSHINE COAST AIRPORT, 1991-2020 BOM monthly climate statistics · bom.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
Crime report, Queensland, 2024–25 qgso.qld.gov.au · checked 2026-10-03
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
Queensland Air Monitoring 2025 qld.gov.au · checked 2026-10-04
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
Cost of Living in Sunshine Coast. Jun 2026. Prices in Sunshine Coast numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27

Show 1 more source

DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026 DEWR · dewr.gov.au · 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.