Rents rose in seven of eight Australian capital cities in August: rent.com.au

Rents rose in seven of eight Australian capital cities in August: rent.com.au
Staff ReporterDecember 7, 2020

Seven of the eight Australian capitals saw an increase in median rent in August from July, with Sydney the most expensive for renters, according to data compiled by rent.com.au.

The national average median rent increased by 1.4 percent to $395 in August. Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, reported a median average weekly rent of $542. On a regional level, median rents remained healthy across the board, with no change in the median rent for apartments or houses on Rent.com.au.

The Northern Territory reported the only decrease in overall median rent, dropping 3.25 percent from July. Its capital, Darwin, reported a 3.25 percent decrease to $463, following a spike in July. 

The report was based on data related to property listings on Rent.com.au in August. Apartments made up 36 per cent of all listings while houses comprised 63 per cent. The majority of dwellings were three-bedroom houses, comprising 31.5 percent of all dwellings on the site. The median price for a three-bedroom house in August was $375.

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State and territory breakdown 

Sydney, NSW 

Sydney tenants experienced another rise in the median rent for apartments. Median apartment rents increased from $510 to $520 per week, now only $60 less than median house rents, which remained steady at $580. 

New South Wales recorded an increase in asking rents of 1 per cent in apartments and 2 per cent in houses in August. A six-month price is also recorded for the state, with asking rents up 5.26 per cent for apartments and 1.1 per cent for houses. 

New South Wales over indexes in apartments, with a makeup of 45 per cent in the state against the national average of 36 percent. 

Melbourne, VIC 

Median apartment rents in Victoria increased from $360 to $370 (a 3 percent rise), now in line with median house rents, which also increased from $360 per week. 

Houses in Melbourne saw a 3 percent increase in price for the month of August, with median rents now $410 per week, slightly ahead of apartment median rents, up 1 percent to $385 per week. 

Brisbane, QLD 

Queensland median rents have steadied, remaining at $350 for apartments and $380 for houses, lining up against July’s figures. Apartment prices have seen no change since January when the median rental was $360, while the asking rent on houses has remained steady in Queensland since April ($370). 

In Brisbane metro, apartment prices remained consistent in August at $400 per week, close to year-to-date figures that have not peaked over $405 since January this year. Houses saw a small price increase in August, rising 1 percent to $423 per week. 

Adelaide, SA 

South Australian house rents are at their lowest since April, with the asking median rent now $325 per week, down 2 percent from July. Similarly, median apartment prices have risen slightly, up 4 percent in August to $280 from July’s $270. 

On a city level, Adelaide’s median rent climbed to $290 per week for apartments, an increase of 2 per cent on last month, but 3.57 percent below the state average. Houses saw a 3 percent increase in median rent, up to $360 per week. 

Perth, WA 

Western Australia’s median rents have steadied, remaining at $330 for apartments and $380 for houses in August. Apartment and house prices have seen no change since June when the median rental was $335 and $375 respectively. 

Houses in Perth’s metropolitan area increased by 3 percent to $390 per week, while a smaller rise (1 percent) was recorded in the median rent for apartments, now at $345. 

In August, WA showed the lowest number of listed apartments, making the highest concentration of houses in WA (76 percent), closely followed by SA (second highest at 75 percent). 

Hobart, TAS 

Tasmania’s house rental prices rose 3 percent in August, shifting the median rent from $280 in July to $288 per week. Apartment prices moved up 1 percent to $243 in August. The state continues to lay claim to Australia’s most affordable prices. 

At city level, Hobart apartment prices dropped 17 percent to the lowest median rent per week of $278, year-to- date, down from $333 in July. House prices on a metro level also rose by 12 percent to a median rent of $393 per week. 

Canberra, ACT 

Over in the Australian Capital Territory, both apartments and house rents increased in August. The month saw a 1 percent change in the median price of apartments (up $10 to $400 per week) and 3 per cent in the median price of houses ($455 per week in August). 

Canberra median rents remained steady in August, maintaining the record high for apartment prices year-to- date ($390) and $450 per week for houses. House prices reached a high in May at $470 but have since decreased. 

Darwin, NT 

Northern Territory tenants saw a 3 percent fall in house rents for the month of August. Territory rents hit a high $520 per week in March, but dropped to $500 last month from July’s $518. Apartments, however, remained steady at a median rent of $400. 

The market switches slightly on a metro level. Darwin apartments recorded a 4 percent decrease in the median rent to $425 per week, returning to June prices. On a city level, house rents remained consistent at $550 per week – a level that has not dropped since June. 

Overall, Darwin as a region recorded a combined median rent of $463, a decrease of 3.25 percent from July. 

 

 

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