wellcompare

Massage Price Data & Methodology

WellCompare publishes massage price information to help Australians compare local massage businesses, listed services and typical prices by suburb and massage type.

This page explains how WellCompare’s massage price data is prepared, what is included, what is excluded, and why our city price index pages use median prices.

Last updated: 19 August 2026

What data does WellCompare use?

WellCompare uses listed massage service data from businesses shown on WellCompare.

This may include business name, suburb, state, massage type, listed service name, listed duration, listed price, and business contact or website details where available.

The price data is used to support city-level massage price index pages, including the Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane Massage Price Index pages.

These pages are intended to show typical listed prices across WellCompare’s available data. They are not guaranteed quotes from every massage business.

What is included in the price index?

For city price index pages, WellCompare focuses on service records that have a clear massage type, duration and listed price.

The main price comparison is based on 60-minute services because this is one of the most common and easiest durations to compare across different businesses.

A service record may be included when it has:

  • a clear massage type
  • a valid listed price
  • a valid listed duration
  • a business connected to a suburb and state
  • a service that fits the massage category being analysed

What is excluded?

Some records may be excluded from price-index calculations where they are not suitable for fair comparison.

Examples include:

  • records without a clear price
  • records without a clear duration
  • duplicate or incomplete records
  • unusually high or low prices that appear unsuitable for a standard massage comparison
  • non-standard add-ons, short extras or special treatments that do not fairly compare with a normal massage session
  • records that do not clearly belong to the analysed city or massage category

This helps reduce the chance that a city price index is distorted by unusual services or incomplete data.

Why does WellCompare use median prices?

WellCompare usually uses the median price rather than the average price.

The median is the middle price in a set of prices. It is useful because it is less affected by very cheap or very expensive listings.

For example, if most 60-minute massage prices are around $90 to $120, but one listing is much higher or lower, the median gives a more realistic picture of the typical listed price.

This is why WellCompare’s city price index pages focus on median 60-minute prices by massage type.

What does “listed price” mean?

A listed price is the price shown in WellCompare’s available business and service data.

It should be treated as a guide only.

Actual prices may change depending on:

  • the business
  • the therapist
  • the service selected
  • the duration
  • weekday or weekend pricing
  • promotions or package deals
  • mobile or in-clinic treatment
  • whether the service is health-fund eligible
  • whether the business has recently updated its pricing

Users should always check directly with the business before booking.

Why do some cities have more data than others?

WellCompare’s data coverage is not the same in every city.

Some cities have more listed businesses and service records than others. For example, Sydney and Melbourne currently have larger datasets than Brisbane.

This means larger city indexes may give a stronger market-level view, while smaller city indexes should be treated as useful guidance rather than a complete market survey.

Each city price index includes sample-size information so users can understand how much data supports the listed prices.

Are suburb prices included?

City price index pages may include businesses across multiple suburbs within the broader city dataset represented on WellCompare.

For example, a Sydney price index may include listed businesses from Sydney CBD and other Sydney-region suburbs represented in the data.

The main city index tables are grouped by massage type, not by suburb.

For suburb-level comparisons, users can visit the relevant service and suburb comparison pages on WellCompare.

Limitations of the data

WellCompare’s massage price data has limitations.

The data should not be treated as:

  • a guaranteed live quote
  • a complete list of every massage business in a city
  • a government or official industry dataset
  • a promise that every listed price is still current
  • a ranking of business quality

The price index pages are designed to help users understand typical listed prices and compare local options more easily.

How often is the data updated?

WellCompare may update price index pages as more business and service data becomes available.

When a city price index is updated, the page should show a recent “Last updated” date and updated sample-size information where available.

How to use WellCompare price data

Users can use WellCompare price data to:

  • understand typical massage prices in a city
  • compare massage types by median price
  • compare local businesses by suburb
  • see available durations and listed services
  • find business contact details and booking links where available

WellCompare is designed to be a starting point for comparison. Before booking, users should confirm the final price and service details directly with the business.