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Perth the best place to drive in Australia

11 March 2010

  • Sydney leaves drivers in despair
  • Virgin Car Insurance researches 38 of the largest cities and towns to uncover Australia's car friendliest city

Perth is ranked the best place to drive in Australia, and Sydney the worst, new research from Virgin Car Insurance shows. The research uncovers which of the eight capital cities and thirty largest regional cities in Australia are the best and worst for motorists.

Having the highest population in Australia, Sydney is also the most expensive capital city to own a car based primarily on cost of registration, parking fines, road tolls and petrol prices. Consideration was also given to car insurance premiums, the availability and cost of car parking and car theft statistics. Perth is the cheapest state capital city to buy petrol, park a car and has no toll roads.

Devonport is the clear winner of the regional cities in Australia. Both Devonport and Burnie were found to have the cheapest car registration, comprehensive car insurance, parking fines, very low incidents of car theft and no toll roads.

Capital cities have been found to have the cheapest fuel prices, compared to the regional cities in their respective states. Perth is the cheapest capital city to buy petrol and Alice Springs the most expensive.

"Sydneysiders have it tough: they are paying more for petrol, parking and road tolls compared to other major cities in Australia," says Matt Baxby, Managing Director of Virgin Money Australia. "Our research reveals which cities are the best and worst for drivers. The least we can do is offer car insurance that is often 30 percent cheaper than the big guys, but we acknowledge there are other frustrations motorists may have" Matt says.

Results: Australian cities in order of best to worst for drivers

Capital City
  1. Perth
  2. Darwin
  3. Hobart
  4. Adelaide
  5. Canberra
  6. Melbourne
  7. Brisbane
  8. Sydney
Regional City
  1. Devonport
  2. Mount Gambier
  3. Burnie
  4. Bunbury
  5. Port Augusta
  6. Gawler
  7. Port Lincoln
  8. Launceston
  9. Bendigo
  10. Albany
  11. Wodonga
  12. Mandurah
  13. Mildura
  14. Toowoomba
  15. Alice Springs
  16. Geraldton
  17. Ballarat
  18. Rockingham
  19. Townsville
  20. Wagga Wagga
  21. Cairns
  22. Rockhampton
  23. Fremantle
  24. Albury
  25. Coffs Harbour
  26. Mackay
  27. Geelong
  28. Gosford
  29. Wollongong
  30. Newcastle

Methodology

Virgin Car Insurance undertook research in December 2009 and January 2010 to determine which cities across Australia were deemed the unfriendliest for motorists. Thirty-eight of the largest regional and capital cities were selected (based on population size) and analysed based on the criteria below. The results were then weighted and cities were ranked highest to lowest based on most to least friendliest city in Australia.

Criteria considered for CAPITAL CITIES included:

  • Average petrol price
  • Cost of comprehensive car insurance
  • Cost of vehicle registration
  • Expired parking fines
  • Number of car thefts
  • Cost of 2 hour metered parking
  • Cost of 2 hour commercial parking
  • Number of parking spaces available
  • Cost of toll roads per kilometre within a city

Criteria considered for REGIONAL CITIES included:

  • Average petrol price
  • Cost of comprehensive car insurance
  • Cost of vehicle registration
  • Expired parking fines
  • Cost of 2 hour metered parking
  • Cost of 2 hour commercial parking
  • Cost of toll roads per kilometre within a city



For media enquiries, please contact:

Gordon Coulter
Wrights Public Relations
(02) 9253 4100 or 0418 545 822

Danielle Keighery
Corporate Communications Director
Virgin Group Asia Pacific
Tel: +612 8249 8063 Mob: +61 400 223 136