Melbourne has been revealed as Australia’s most expensive city for both government and independent schooling, according to new national cost modelling of education expenses for families with children starting school in 2026.
The Cost of Education Index forecasts the total cost of a government education in Melbourne will reach $121,202 over 13 years, a six per cent increase on last year and around seven per cent above the national metropolitan average of $113,594. The figure also places Melbourne well ahead of Perth ($102,600) and Sydney ($106,567), which were identified as the most affordable capital cities for a government education.
While school fees and voluntary contributions account for a relatively small proportion of government schooling costs in Melbourne, ancillary expenses make up the bulk of family spending. These include outside tuition and coaching, transport, school camps and uniforms.
The Index also found Brisbane to be the most expensive city for a Catholic education, with total costs forecast at $273,494 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2026. This represents a 35 per cent increase compared with last year and is 11 per cent above the national average for Catholic education. Canberra and Sydney were identified as the most affordable cities for Catholic schooling.
For families considering independent education, Melbourne again ranked as the most expensive city nationally, with projected costs rising 12 per cent in the past year to $435,902 over 13 years. This is 18 per cent above the national average and significantly higher than Adelaide and Canberra, which recorded the lowest independent education costs among capital cities.
Regional and remote areas also showed sharp increases, particularly in Queensland. The Index identified regional and remote Queensland as the most expensive region for both government and Catholic education outside metropolitan areas. The total cost of a government education in non-metro Queensland is forecast at $108,647 over 13 years, a 20 per cent increase on last year and eight per cent above the national non-metro average.
For Catholic education in regional and remote Queensland, total costs are projected to reach $244,714, representing a 55 per cent increase compared with 2025. In both sectors, ancillary expenses such as transport, outside tuition, electives, uniforms and musical instruments accounted for the majority of costs.
In contrast, regional and remote Western Australia was identified as the most expensive area nationally for non-metro independent education, with total costs forecast at $275,639 over 13 years, despite a slight decrease from last year. This figure remains around 20 per cent above the national average for regional and remote independent schooling.
The research underpinning the Index draws on feedback from 2,500 parents with school-aged children, alongside independent data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Additional cost categories, including before- and after-school care, school clubs and fundraising contributions, were included in the latest modelling to provide a more comprehensive picture of education expenses.
The Cost of Education Index was commissioned by Futurity Investment Group and conducted by Resolve Strategic.
