Canberra housing and COLA at a glance
Canberra, Australia (DoD locality AU005).
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $2,766 a month (3,857 AUD) and receives $608 for utilities and maintenance, $3,375 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $1,232 a month. Both are tax-free.
OHA rent ceilings for every grade
OHA reimburses your actual rent up to the ceiling for your grade, so renting below it means a smaller payment, not money kept. Without dependents, the ceiling is 90% of the with-dependents figure.
| Grade | With deps | Without deps | Ceiling (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $2,494 | $2,245 | 3,477 AUD |
| E-2 | $2,494 | $2,245 | 3,477 AUD |
| E-3 | $2,494 | $2,245 | 3,477 AUD |
| E-4 | $2,494 | $2,245 | 3,477 AUD |
| E-5 | $2,766 | $2,490 | 3,857 AUD |
| E-6 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| E-7 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| E-8 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| E-9 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| W-1 | $2,766 | $2,490 | 3,857 AUD |
| W-2 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| W-3 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| W-4 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| W-5 | $3,896 | $3,507 | 5,432 AUD |
| O-1E | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| O-2E | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| O-3E | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| O-1 | $2,766 | $2,490 | 3,857 AUD |
| O-2 | $2,766 | $2,490 | 3,857 AUD |
| O-3 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| O-4 | $3,494 | $3,144 | 4,871 AUD |
| O-5 | $3,896 | $3,507 | 5,432 AUD |
| O-6 | $4,675 | $4,208 | 6,518 AUD |
Utilities and move-in
- Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: $608 a month with dependents, $456 without (848 AUD with dependents).
- Move-in housing allowance (MIHA) miscellaneous: $889, paid once when you sign a lease (1,239 AUD).
Rent ceilings effective 16 July 2026. Converted at DTMO's pay-system rate of 1 AUD = $0.717257 (October 1, 2026). DTMO revises it on the 1st and 16th of each month, so the dollar amount moves even when the ceiling does not.
COLA in Canberra
The COLA index here is 142 (effective October 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 42% more than in the U.S. COLA is paid on top of base pay and OHA. Estimated monthly COLA by grade and number of dependents:
| Grade (YOS) | No deps | 1 dep | 2 deps | 3 deps | 4 deps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-3 (2 yrs) | $1,109 | $1,170 | $1,232 | $1,294 | $1,355 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $1,109 | $1,170 | $1,232 | $1,294 | $1,355 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $1,109 | $1,170 | $1,232 | $1,294 | $1,355 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $1,109 | $1,170 | $1,232 | $1,294 | $1,355 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $1,109 | $1,170 | $1,232 | $1,294 | $1,355 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $1,188 | $1,254 | $1,320 | $1,385 | $1,451 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $1,339 | $1,413 | $1,488 | $1,562 | $1,636 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $1,109 | $1,170 | $1,232 | $1,294 | $1,355 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $1,150 | $1,214 | $1,278 | $1,341 | $1,405 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $1,263 | $1,333 | $1,404 | $1,474 | $1,544 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $1,446 | $1,526 | $1,607 | $1,687 | $1,767 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $1,616 | $1,706 | $1,796 | $1,885 | $1,975 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $1,770 | $1,869 | $1,967 | $2,065 | $2,164 |
Estimates use 2026 base pay at the years of service shown and DTMO's spendable-income table (CY2026 tables (effective Feb 1, 2026)). COLA = spendable income × (index − 100) ÷ 100 ÷ 12. Members without dependents living in government quarters receive a reduced rate. Run your exact grade, years of service and dependents in the OCONUS COLA calculator.
How Canberra compares
The COLA index of 142 is the 16th-highest of 29 Australia localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the top 18% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 2nd of 29 in Australia.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $2,494 for E-1 to E-4, $2,766 at E-5 (+$272), and $3,494 from E-6 to E-9 (+$728); officers $2,766 for O-1 to O-2, $3,494 from O-3 to O-4 (+$728), $3,896 at O-5 (+$402), and $4,675 at O-6 (+$779). A promotion that lands before you sign a lease raises what you can rent.
At the ceiling, an E-5 with two dependents draws about $4,607 a month here in OHA and COLA combined, tax-free. The same member receives $2,061 in BAH at the median U.S. housing area. Treat that as a rough guide: OHA pays your actual rent rather than a flat amount, and COLA exists because everyday prices here run higher.
How these rates have moved
The COLA index has moved from 132 (August 1, 2025) to 142 (October 1, 2026). At 2026 pay, that is +$293 a month for an E-5 with two dependents.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | 142 | $1,232 |
| August 16, 2026 | 138 | $1,115 |
| August 1, 2026 | 136 | $1,056 |
| July 16, 2026 | 134 | $997 |
| May 16, 2026 | 142 | $1,232 |
| August 1, 2025 | 132 | $939 |
*Monthly COLA at 2026 base pay (6 years of service), so the column isolates the effect of the index.
Exchange rate: DTMO's pay-system rate was 1 AUD = $0.678012 on July 16, 2026 and $0.717257 on October 1, 2026 (+5.8%). The E-5 ceiling of 3,857 AUD is worth $2,766 today against $2,615 then, so the dollar amount on your LES rose by $151 a month without the ceiling itself changing.
From DTMO's published COLA indices and OHA exchange rates as recorded by this site each pay period.
Other Australia localities
E-5 with dependents. Your OHA follows the locality of your duty station, so these apply only if you are assigned there.
| Locality | OHA rent ceiling | COLA index |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | $1,733 | 152 |
| Alice Springs | $1,870 | 140 |
| Brisbane | $2,186 | 142 |
| Darwin | $1,765 | 144 |
| Edinburgh | $1,629 | 152 |
| Enogerra Barracks | $1,844 | 142 |
| Exmouth | $1,051 | 144 |
| Fremantle | $1,913 | 144 |
| Glenbrook | $1,471 | 144 |
| Learmonth | $1,051 | 144 |
| Melbourne | $1,984 | 142 |
| Narrabri | $1,051 | 142 |
| Newcastle | $1,894 | 144 |
| Nowra | $1,264 | 152 |
| Other (ADF Housing) (Australia) | $836 | 142 |
| Other (Non-Adf Housing) (Australia) | $1,051 | 142 |
| Other New South Wales (Non-Adf Housing) (Australia) | $2,597 | 144 |
| Other Queensland (Non-Adf Housing) (Australia) | $1,051 | 142 |
| Other Victoria (Non-Adf Housing) (Australia) | $1,051 | 142 |
| Other Western Australia (Non-Adf Housing) (Australia) | $1,051 | 142 |
| Perth (ADF Housing) | $2,135 | 144 |
| Perth (Non-Adf Housing) | $2,135 | 144 |
| Queenscliff | $521 | 142 |
| Raaf Amberley | $1,439 | 142 |
| Raaf Tindal | $793 | 144 |
Plus 3 more in the Australia list.
Using these numbers
- Your exact OHA by grade and dependents: OHA calculator. Your exact COLA: OCONUS COLA calculator.
- Planning the move: PCS calculator for DLA, per diem and weight allowance.
- Coming home: COLA stops the day you leave. The COLA trap shows how to plan for it.
Sources: DTMO OHA rate tables and OCONUS COLA indices, refreshed each pay period. Estimates for planning; your finance office's figure is the one that pays.