Moving to the Sunshine Coast in 2026: Your Complete Relocation Guide

The Sunshine Coast has been one of Australia's most consistent internal migration destinations for a decade. The combination of coastal lifestyle, improving amenity, growing employment opportunities and relative affordability compared to Sydney has drawn tens of thousands of new residents. If you are considering the move, here is what you need to know.

Understanding the region

The Sunshine Coast stretches from Caloundra in the south to Noosa in the north — about 80km of coastline — with a substantial hinterland that extends west through Maleny, Montville and into the Mary Valley. The coastal strip is where most residents live; the hinterland attracts lifestyle buyers seeking rural settings with access to the coast.

Suburb guide

Noosa Heads is the prestige end of the market — beautiful but expensive. Maroochydore is the commercial centre and has the most diverse housing stock. Caloundra suits families seeking a quieter coastal environment. The growth corridor around Aura (Caloundra South) and the Kawana Waters precinct is where new housing supply is most active and where family housing is most affordable.

Employment

The Sunshine Coast University Hospital, the university, the council, the retail sector and an expanding professional services sector are the primary local employers. Remote work has made the Sunshine Coast viable for professionals whose work was previously tied to Brisbane or Sydney. The commute to Brisbane is about 90 minutes by car or 2 hours by train.

Healthcare and services

The Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Kawana is a full-service public hospital. Nambour General Hospital continues to provide services. General practitioners, specialists and allied health providers are distributed across the region. Registering with a local GP on arrival is advisable given demand pressure in some areas.

This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.