Adelaide has been named Australia’s most fitness-friendly capital city, with new Net World Sports research revealing locals can stay active for less than residents in other major cities.
Research from sports equipment retailer Net World Sports has ranked Adelaide first in its Fitness Liveability Index, scoring 81.9 out of 100 ahead of Perth and Brisbane.
The index draws on AusPlay data, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures and a survey of more than 1,000 Australian adults to examine the cost and accessibility of staying fit across the country.
According to the research, Adelaide is also the cheapest capital city for fitness, with residents spending an average of $954.69 per year across gyms, community sport and outdoor activities.
That is around $380 less than the Australian average, with Adelaide recording the lowest gym and fitness studio costs at $663.28 annually.
The city also has the lowest average outdoor and active recreation costs, at $235.95 per year, while community sport costs an average of $440.41.
Together, the figures suggest Adelaide residents have access to a range of ways to stay active without spending as much as people in other capital cities.
The research found Adelaide’s fitness expenditure accounts for 1.37 per cent of median annual employee earnings, the lowest cost-to-income ratio of any capital city.
Perth ranked second in the overall index with a score of 68.76, while Brisbane placed third with 54.86. Brisbane recorded the strongest fitness access score, including the country’s highest fitness facility density.
Adelaide’s affordability advantage does not necessarily extend to every aspect of fitness access. The city ranked fifth for access, with the research identifying its public pool density as the lowest among the capital cities.
The findings come as cost-of-living pressures continue to influence how Australians exercise. More than half of adults surveyed, or 53.3 per cent, said they had changed at least one fitness habit in the past 12 months because of cost.
The most common response was switching to free alternatives such as running, outdoor training or home workouts, with 17.6 per cent of respondents choosing this option. A further 3.5 per cent said they had stopped exercising altogether.
South Australia recorded a lower proportion of people changing their fitness routines due to cost, at 46.7 per cent, compared with 53.3 per cent nationally. Just eight per cent of South Australians surveyed said they had cancelled a gym membership.
The research also explored the cost of different activities across Australia, finding golf to be the most expensive at an average of $1,545 per year for participants.
At the other end of the scale, recreational walking cost an average of $210 annually, although only a small proportion of walkers reported paying for participation.
Gym memberships have also become more expensive, with the average entry-level price across three national gym chains rising from $19.31 per week in 2021 to $24.32 in 2026.
While Adelaide offers relatively affordable options, the research highlights how the cost of staying active can vary depending on the activity, location and whether people choose paid or free exercise.
The full research is available through Net World Sports’ Cost of Keeping Fit report.
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