Temperature
January has the warmest monthly average (20.8°C); July is coolest (5.2°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.
Australia · Visit or make it home
Canberra
Canberra is a city in Australia. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.
Get to know Canberra
A sense of the place
Canberra is the capital city of Australia and the largest population centre in the Australian Capital Territory. With an estimated population of 484,630 as of 2025, Canberra is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest Australian city by population. The city occupies most of the northern quadrant of the Australian Capital Territory, and its urban sprawl borders the state of New South Wales to the northwest, northeast and southeast. The Brindabellas are located south and west of the city, and form the northern part of the Australian Alps, the country's highest mountain range. Canberra was established following the federation of the Australian colonies to serve as the seat of government for the new nation, being a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s two largest cities. The area chosen for the capital had been inhabited by Aboriginal Australians for up to 21,000 years, by groups including the Ngunnawal and Ngambri. European settlement commenced in the first half of the 19th century, evidenced by surviving landmarks such as St John's Anglican Church and Blundells Cottage.
Weather through the year
When to visit Canberra
Rain and outdoor plans
February averages about 92 mm of rain, compared with 31 mm in May. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.
Planning time outdoors
January, February, March, April, October, November, December combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average °C | 20.8 | 19.1 | 16.5 | 12.9 | 8.8 | 6.2 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 9.2 | 12.5 | 16.0 | 18.2 |
| Rain, mm | 58 | 92 | 68 | 41 | 31 | 65 | 46 | 53 | 47 | 59 | 75 | 71 |
Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.
Places around Canberra
Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.
Beach
Sylvia Curley Bridge
4.7 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityBotanical garden
Australian National Botanic Gardens
1.8 km from the city centre
Compare with another citySki area
Corin Forest
31.9 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityMuseum
Canberra Museum and Gallery
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityPark
City Hill
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityAverage rent in Canberra
What is the average rent in Canberra?
A verified average rent for Canberra is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.
Average salary in Canberra
What is the average salary in Canberra?
4,436.2 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2021. It describes Australia, not average salary in Canberra. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.
Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2021 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)
How should I compare Canberra with another city?
Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.
- Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
- Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
- Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.
Data sources, licences & reuse terms
Plan your stay
Budget and everyday decisions
A holiday budget
Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Canberra, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.
Compare holiday preferences →A relocation budget
Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.
Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.
Compare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
4,436.2 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2021. Limited confidence. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Your relocation planning budget
Build a monthly budget for Canberra in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.
Monthly total:
First month including move:
Compare with another city →Compare the details
Canberra at a glance
Annual precipitation
706 mm/year
Annual precipitation gives a broad climate comparison. Its distribution through the year matters more for a short visit.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Average annual temperature
12.6 C
Long-term average including days and nights. Use the monthly breakdown to choose dates; this is not a weather forecast.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Nearest listed airport (straight-line distance)
6.6 km
Straight-line distance to a listed airport, not transfer time or confirmation of scheduled flights. Check the airport serving your actual route before booking.
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: OurAirports — airport locations · Public domainCompare with another city →Australia: the wider context
These are country-level figures, not measurements of Canberra. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.
See 10 national indicators
Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
4,436.2 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2021. Limited confidence. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Income level — GNI per capita, PPP (gross)
69,930 international dollars (PPP)
Purchasing-power-adjusted national income per person is not a salary or take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: World Bank — GNI per capita, PPP (NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Fixed broadband / internet quality
96.1 percent
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank / ITU — Individuals using the Internet, % (IT.NET.USER.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Healthcare / health outcome (life expectancy at birth)
83.1 years
Life expectancy describes population health outcomes; it does not measure the quality or availability of a particular hospital.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →English / language accessibility
100 ordinal_0_100
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: Wikidata — coordinates, population, timezone, ISO codes, official languages · CC0 1.0Compare with another city →Overall tax burden (taxes + social contributions, % of GDP)
23.6 percent_gdp
Taxes and social contributions as a share of the economy, not your personal income-tax rate.
Data period: 2022. Source: World Bank — Tax revenue % of GDP (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Intentional homicide rate
0.9 per 100,000 people
Homicide rates are a narrow safety indicator. They do not describe petty crime or the safety of an individual neighbourhood.
Data period: 2023. Source: World Bank / UNODC — Intentional homicides per 100k (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Comparative price level (household consumption)
125.8 (EU average = 100)
Data period: 2025. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — Price level index, household consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PLI) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Air quality — annual mean PM2.5
6.4 µg/m³
Data period: 2023. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — PM2.5 mean annual exposure (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Education system (national)
160.8 points (0–188)
Data period: 2025. Estimate. Source: World Bank HCI+ education pillar (2025) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Other places to compare in Australia
What to check before deciding
Comparable figures are not available here for: Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.
Compare Canberra with other cities
Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.
All maintained comparisons →