Keeping on top of your budget is easier said than done – particularly when a big chunk of each pay cheque keeps going towards rent. But maybe you’re spending more than you need to be. Here are the average rental prices in each state and territory in Australia. If you’re paying heaps more, it might be time to think about moving into a new neighbourhood.
This article was written in partnership with CUA, helping you boost your savings while you spend with Savings Top Up. Click here for more..
The following table comes from Savings.com.au based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). In addition to the average weekly rent, the table also breaks down how much people earn in each state and the percentage of income they spend on rent.
State | Weekly income | Weekly rent | Percentage of income |
NSW | $1622 | $582 | 35% |
VIC | $1568 | $454 | 28% |
QLD | $1574 | $436 | 27% |
SA | $1462 | $386 | 26% |
WA | $1757 | $385 | 21% |
TAS | $1399 | $453 | 32% |
ACT | $1813 | $550 | 30% |
NT | $1605 | $458 | 28% |
Combined States | $1604 | $436 | 27% |
Collectively, the average rent in Australia is $436 which equates to 27 per cent of the average weekly income.
However, there’s quite a lot of disparity depending on where you live. People in NSW, for example, spend the highest percentage of their salaries on rent, while Western Australians have the lowest average rental price (almost $200 less than NSW) despite making more money on average. That makes WA a pretty good bet if you’re trying to amass savings.
Of course, rent is only one component of the spending puzzle. According to the ASIC MoneySmart website, the average total weekly spending for Australian households looks something like this:
NT – $1700 average weekly total
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ACT – $1670 average weekly total
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NSW – $1525 average weekly total
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VIC – $1430 average weekly total
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WA – $1429 average weekly total
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QLD – $1359 average weekly total
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SA – $1192 average weekly total
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TAS – $1141 average weekly total.
Here’s the weekly average spend broken down into life stages and expenditure type:
Lone person aged under 35 | Couple only (At least one person aged under 35) |
Couple with kids (youngest child under 5) |
Couple with kids (youngest child between 5-14) |
Couple with kids (youngest child 15 and above) |
|
Housing | $284 | $381 | $458 | $355 | $359 |
Fuel & power | $24 | $35 | $48 | $54 | $53 |
Food & drink | $122 | 239 | $282 | $336 | $332 |
Clothing & footwear | $18 | $54 | $62 | $64 | $61 |
Medical & health expenses | $23 | $69 | $85 | $104 | $110 |
Alcohol | $22 | $39 | $28 | $35 | $47 |
Transport | $97 | $243 | $247 | $309 | $292 |
Recreation | $83 | $176 | $158 | $263 | $243 |
TOTAL | $849 | $1,572 | $1,833 | $2,085 | $1,990 |
Data: ASIC
Needless to say, if you regularly spend more on any of the above things campared to the national average, these are the areas you should be cutting back on. You can find a bunch of budgeting hacks that can help you get back on track here.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/12/how-to-rennovate-a-rented-property-infographic/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/10/Home-owner-410×231.jpg” title=”How To Renovate A Rented Property [Infographic]” excerpt=”The dream of owning a house has become increasingly out of reach for many Australians. But that doesn’t mean your rented property can’t also feel like home.”]
[Via Savings.com.au and ASIC]
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