Australia's most (and least) pet-friendly places to live

Australians love their pets, in fact, more than 70 per cent of households now have at least one furry (or feathered) friend. But when it comes to finding a place that truly caters to four-legged family members, not all cities are created equal.

New research from Muval's Pet Relocation Index has ranked the best and worst places in Australia to live with pets, analysing how regions stack up for pet infrastructure, affordability, legislation, and health and safety.

And while the findings show the east coast dominates for pet-friendly living, it's regional centres, not big cities, that really shine.

NSW dominates, with Nowra crowned Australia's most pet-friendly region

Nowra-Bomaderry on the NSW South Coast takes the top spot, scoring an impressive 95.79 out of 100, thanks to its affordable housing, progressive pet legislation, and abundance of green space and local amenities.

According to Muval, Nowra's one-off registration fee for pets and tenant protections for renters with animals helped it edge out competition from Queensland's Sunshine Coast, which came in a close second with a score of 94.88.

"Affordable living and progressive pet laws have made NSW a standout for pet owners," a Muval spokesperson said. "These regions are leading the way in balancing lifestyle, affordability and access to quality veterinary care."

Rounding out the top five were Bowral-Mittagong (NSW), Ballina (NSW) and Geelong (VIC), the latter proving that Victoria's regional hubs still offer a great balance of liveability and pet-friendly perks.

Regional areas outshine capital cities

Surprisingly, only one capital city, Brisbane, made the top ten, coming in at number seven with an overall score of 90.07.

The data suggests regional communities often outperform metro centres, largely due to better access to vets, more open spaces, and lower housing costs, all crucial factors for pet owners.

"Regional areas like Port Macquarie, Albury and Wollongong not only provide more room to roam, but they're often more accommodating when it comes to rental policies and community amenities," Muval found.

The least pet-friendly places? Melbourne tops the list, for all the wrong reasons

At the other end of the scale, Melbourne was ranked Australia's least pet-friendly city, scoring just 67.45 out of 100.

Despite perfect marks for its legislation and policy (100/100), Melbourne's poor infrastructure and high housing costs dragged it down.

Perth followed in second place with a score of 69.25, largely due to lower marks for pet legislation and limited accessibility, while Kalgoorlie-Boulder rounded out the bottom three.

Muval's data showed that capital cities tend to struggle with pet infrastructure, such as access to off-leash areas, dog parks and affordable vet care, particularly as density increases and apartments replace backyards.

From dog-friendly cafés and off-leash beaches to affordable pet insurance and tenant-friendly rules, the research highlights how location can make a big difference in quality of life, not just for humans, but for their furry companions too.