Hobart
Australia · Oceania · 240K people
Tasmania's small, artsy waterfront capital.
Ranked #86 of 303 overall · -42.88, 147.33
Overview
With a population of around 240,000, Hobart is one of Australia's notable cities, part of the wider Oceania region. It has a reputation as a solid, practical choice for raising a family. Hobart is coastal, with the sea shaping daily life and the local economy. People who choose to settle in Hobart tend to point to a strong sense of safety, solid infrastructure for remote work, and reliable healthcare as the deciding factors. Within the 13 cities we track in Oceania, the regional average sits at 6.9/10, which puts Hobart's 7.0/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Hobart scores 7.0/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #86 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is environment & air quality at 9/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 5/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Costs add up faster than average.
Low crime, easy to feel at ease.
Clean air, easy to spend time outdoors.
A car helps for anything off the main routes.
Expect a proper seasonal swing.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Hobart right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Air quality and environment score 9/10 here — outdoor time doesn't come with a mental asterisk.
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
A 8/10 safety score puts Hobart among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is the toughest line item, at 5/10 — budget accordingly, especially on rent.
Transport is the soft spot at 5/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Is Hobart safe?
Safety is a genuine strength of Hobart, at 8/10. It's the kind of city where petty crime and serious crime alike are less of a daily concern than in most of the 303 cities we track.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 9/10, Hobart looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Hobart?
Hobart scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing — expect at least one stretch of weather most people wouldn't pick as their favorite.
Seasonal character
Seasons here are more pronounced — at least one part of the year leans notably hot, cold, or wet compared with the rest.
Comfort level
Comfort varies meaningfully by season — some months are genuinely pleasant, others require real adjustment.
Best time to live here
Timing matters more here — researching the specific hottest, coldest or wettest months before committing is worth the effort.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Hobart
Put together, quality of life in Hobart is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: hobart tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
Hobart tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (9/10) and climate (5/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (5/10) has real gaps — plan on a mix of public options, walking and rideshares depending on where you end up living.
Culture & leisure
Hobart isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Hobart tends to suit people who prioritize environment & air quality and internet & connectivity over cost of living — see "Who Hobart suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Hobart?
Hobart scores 9/10 on environment and air quality — among the cleaner cities we track, and a reasonable proxy for a well-kept public realm.
Public spaces
We don't track a separate public-space or waste-management metric, but cities that score this well on air quality tend to also invest visibly in upkeep — a reasonable, if indirect, signal.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Hobart suits
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Young family
Young familys — households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Retiree
Retirees — retirees prioritizing healthcare, climate and a calm environment over nightlife or internet speed (fit score 6.8/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Affordability is a real consideration here: Hobart scores 5/10 on cost of living, meaning a comfortable lifestyle requires a proper budget.
Safety
Safety is one of Hobart's clearest strengths, scoring 8/10 — the kind of place where walking home at night or letting kids out alone doesn't require much second-guessing.
Climate
Climate is a middling factor in Hobart, scoring 5/10 — expect a proper seasonal swing, including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Quality of life
Hobart scores 7.0/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: environment & air quality (9/10) is genuinely strong, while cost of living (5/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 7.0/10.
Transport
Getting around Hobart takes some planning: transport scores 5/10, and a car or rideshare budget is worth factoring in for anything off the main routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Hobart scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Hobart?
Hobart isn't the right fit for everyone, but for the right profile — someone who values environment & air quality and can live with cost of living — it scores well at 7.0/10 overall. Use the comparisons and rankings below to see how it stacks up against the alternatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Hobart safe?
Yes — Hobart scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Hobart?
Hobart scores 5/10 on affordability, on the pricier side of our database. Plan a proper budget, particularly for rent.
Is Hobart good for families?
Hobart works well for families: safety (8/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (9/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Hobart a good city for students?
Hobart isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (5/10) and transport (5/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Hobart suitable for digital nomads?
Hobart isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 9/10 and cost of living 5/10.
What's the climate like in Hobart?
Hobart scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Is Hobart pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Hobart scores 5/10 on climate and 9/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Hobart a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Hobart?
Yes — Hobart scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Hobart a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 7.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Hobart?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Christchurch and Auckland are the closest matches to Hobart in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Hobart worth living in?
Reasonably — Hobart scores 7.0/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Hobart?
Based on its score profile, Hobart suits people who value environment & air quality and internet & connectivity more than the average mover — see the "Who Hobart suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Hobart walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Hobart scores just 5/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Hobart?
Environment & air quality is Hobart's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Hobart?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 5/10 — the lowest of Hobart's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.