Sydney housing and COLA at a glance
Sydney, Australia (DoD locality AU019).
An E-5 with dependents can rent up to $3,407 a month (4,750 AUD) and receives $608 for utilities and maintenance, $4,015 a month in total OHA at the ceiling. With two dependents and 6 years of service, COLA adds about $1,291 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 | $2,869 | $2,582 | 4,000 AUD |
| E-2 | $2,869 | $2,582 | 4,000 AUD |
| E-3 | $2,869 | $2,582 | 4,000 AUD |
| E-4 | $2,869 | $2,582 | 4,000 AUD |
| E-5 | $3,407 | $3,066 | 4,750 AUD |
| E-6 | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| E-7 | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| E-8 | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| E-9 | $4,261 | $3,834 | 5,940 AUD |
| W-1 | $3,407 | $3,066 | 4,750 AUD |
| W-2 | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| W-3 | $4,261 | $3,834 | 5,940 AUD |
| W-4 | $4,261 | $3,834 | 5,940 AUD |
| W-5 | $4,601 | $4,141 | 6,415 AUD |
| O-1E | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| O-2E | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| O-3E | $4,261 | $3,834 | 5,940 AUD |
| O-1 | $3,407 | $3,066 | 4,750 AUD |
| O-2 | $3,407 | $3,066 | 4,750 AUD |
| O-3 | $4,155 | $3,740 | 5,793 AUD |
| O-4 | $4,261 | $3,834 | 5,940 AUD |
| O-5 | $4,601 | $4,141 | 6,415 AUD |
| O-6 | $4,969 | $4,472 | 6,928 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 Sydney
The COLA index here is 144 (effective October 1, 2026), meaning goods and services cost about 44% 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) | $1,162 | $1,226 | $1,291 | $1,355 | $1,420 |
| E-4 (4 yrs) | $1,162 | $1,226 | $1,291 | $1,355 | $1,420 |
| E-5 (6 yrs) | $1,162 | $1,226 | $1,291 | $1,355 | $1,420 |
| E-6 (10 yrs) | $1,162 | $1,226 | $1,291 | $1,355 | $1,420 |
| E-7 (14 yrs) | $1,162 | $1,226 | $1,291 | $1,355 | $1,420 |
| E-8 (18 yrs) | $1,244 | $1,313 | $1,382 | $1,451 | $1,521 |
| E-9 (22 yrs) | $1,403 | $1,480 | $1,558 | $1,636 | $1,714 |
| W-2 (8 yrs) | $1,162 | $1,226 | $1,291 | $1,355 | $1,420 |
| O-2 (3 yrs) | $1,205 | $1,271 | $1,338 | $1,405 | $1,472 |
| O-3 (6 yrs) | $1,323 | $1,397 | $1,470 | $1,544 | $1,617 |
| O-4 (12 yrs) | $1,515 | $1,599 | $1,683 | $1,767 | $1,851 |
| O-5 (18 yrs) | $1,693 | $1,787 | $1,881 | $1,975 | $2,069 |
| O-6 (22 yrs) | $1,855 | $1,958 | $2,061 | $2,164 | $2,267 |
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 Sydney compares
The COLA index of 144 is the 4th-highest of 29 Australia localities DTMO prices for OHA, and in the top 13% of the 624 locations worldwide that pay COLA.
Its E-5 rent ceiling ranks 1st of 29 in Australia, the highest in the country.
Where the ceiling steps up with rank (with dependents): enlisted $2,869 for E-1 to E-4, $3,407 at E-5 (+$538), $4,155 from E-6 to E-8 (+$748), and $4,261 at E-9 (+$106); officers $3,407 for O-1 to O-2, $4,155 at O-3 (+$748), $4,261 at O-4 (+$106), $4,601 at O-5 (+$340), and $4,969 at O-6 (+$368). 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 $5,306 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 144 (October 1, 2026). At 2026 pay, that is +$352 a month for an E-5 with two dependents.
| Effective | COLA index | E-5, 2 deps* |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | 144 | $1,291 |
| August 16, 2026 | 140 | $1,173 |
| August 1, 2026 | 138 | $1,115 |
| July 16, 2026 | 136 | $1,056 |
| May 16, 2026 | 144 | $1,291 |
| 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 4,750 AUD is worth $3,407 today against $3,221 then, so the dollar amount on your LES rose by $186 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 |
| Canberra | $2,766 | 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 |
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.