Share this @internewscast.com
Feeling like renting costs more nowadays is accurate because it indeed has become pricier.
Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics highlights that rents have been rising consistently since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in capital cities.

In certain states, this has meant an increase of over $250 per week compared to rates before the pandemic.

How does your state compare?

Over the past six years, rents have surged in every state and territory.
Back in 2019, NSW and the ACT had the highest median rents at $480 per week. Fast forward to April 2025, and NSW still tops the list at $650 a week.
Western Australia has had the steepest rise in rents — jumping 75 per cent from $350 to $613 a week.
Tasmania has the lowest median rent, but even there, prices have climbed.

Tasmanians now pay $430 a week on average, up from $270 before the pandemic.

A chart showing median rental price changes across the country.

Western Australia has had the steepest rise in rents, but NSW has the highest median rental price. Source: SBS News

Here’s how median weekly rent looks across the country:

  • NSW: $650 (Previously: $480)
  • Western Australia: $613 (Previously: $350)
  • ACT: $595 (Previously: $480)
  • Northern Territory: $560 (Previously: $430)
  • Queensland: $560 (Previously: $380)
  • Victoria: $520 (Previously: $385)
  • South Australia: $495 (Previously: $325)
  • Tasmania: $430 (Previously: $270)
A graph comparing rental prices in regional areas versus the city.

While rental price increases in capital cities have finally slowed, living in regional areas remains more affordable. Source: SBS News

Is living further from the CBD cheaper?

We’ve always known city living comes at a premium — but that dynamic briefly flipped during the pandemic.

Currently, rents in capital cities remain elevated, although the rate of increase has decelerated. As of April 2025, annual rental inflation in these areas has slowed to approximately 5.5 percent, a decrease from its peak of 8.5 percent in late 2023.

But that’s still an increase from the pandemic era, where rents in capital cities actually fell. With international borders closed, temporary rent freezes, and a wave of people moving out, city demand dropped and vacancies rose.
At the same time, rents in regional areas rose, driven by people relocating and tighter supply.

While rents in some regional areas have caught up, it’s still a more affordable rental option than the CBD — though the gap has narrowed in recent years.

A chart looking at costs of moving further away from the city.

The data says it could be cheaper to live just outside of the CBD. Source: SBS News

Should you stay or should you go?

Many renters are left wondering: in the face of rental hikes, is it cheaper to move or stay put?
The data suggests rent increases have become both larger and more common since the pandemic — no matter if you move or not.
Since mid-2022, the majority of properties (80-95 per cent) with new tenants saw rent hikes compared to the previous lease. This hit a high of 94 per cent in early 2023 and eased to 83 per cent in April 2025.

Existing tenants haven’t been spared either. Around 82 per cent of renters who stayed in place experienced a rent increase by late 2023.

A chart showing rental increases for existing tenants.

Even if you choose to stay, you might still be hit with a rental increase. Around 82 per cent of renters who stayed in place experienced a rent increase by late 2023. Source: SBS News

Who’s hit harder: movers or stayers?

Rent increases are usually bigger for those moving into a new property.
Between June 2022 and June 2023:
– 70 per cent of new tenants faced rent hikes of over 10 per cent.
– Only 30 per cent of existing tenants had increases that steep.
But in good news, more recently, rent hikes have started to ease.
As of April 2025, 43 per cent of new tenants experienced a rent rise of more than 10 per cent, while 10 per cent of people saw no change.
Among existing tenants, just under half (48 per cent) had a rent rise under 10 per cent, while one in four had no increase at all.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Michele O'Neil, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), at the National Press Club

Union Advocates for Equal Pay: End Discriminatory Junior Rates for Workers Under 21

Australian labor unions are rallying to abolish reduced pay rates for younger…

Singapore’s Unyielding Justice: The Controversial Execution of Pannir Selvam

Singapore’s stringent justice system has once again drawn international attention following the…

Uluru Commemorates 40 Years of Historic Land Return with Rainfall, Reflection, and Renewal

Anangu traditional owners have marked 40 years since Uluru Kata Tjuta National…
Suspects arrested over theft of crown jewels from Paris' Louvre museum

Individuals Apprehended in Connection with Crown Jewels Heist at Paris’ Louvre Museum

On Wednesday, the prosecutor revealed that arrests had been made on Saturday…
Andrew Johns has quit a surfing holiday after calling his family to tell them the local monkeys were teaming up against him. The former Newcastle Knights premiership winner is well known for his love of surfing and is a regular fixture at Sydney hotspot Bronte Beach.

Andrew Johns Cuts Surf Trip Short Amid Concerns of Monkey Mischief

Andrew Johns has cut short a surfing vacation after informing his family…

Historic Ceasefire: Cambodia and Thailand Unite with Trump’s Mediation

US President Donald Trump co-signed a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia…
Contraceptive pills Australia cheaper

Save Big: Contraceptives Now Available at a Fraction of the Cost with PBS Inclusion

Starting November 1, approximately 300,000 women across Australia will benefit from the…
Original Halo video game is coming to PlayStation

Classic Halo Game Set to Make Its Debut on PlayStation Consoles

Xbox and Halo Studios have unveiled an exciting project: a complete remake…

French Authorities Nab Suspects in Daring Louvre Jewel Heist: Major Breakthrough in High-Profile Case

French authorities have detained two of the suspected robbers believed to have…
Louvre museum heist

Unraveling the Louvre Jewel Heist: Inside Job Suspicions Loom Large

Detectives have raised suspicions that the audacious theft of $157 million worth…
A man has been accused of harassing and inappropriately touching two players from the Australian women's cricket team in the Indian city of Indore.

Man Detained for Allegedly Harassing Australian Cricketers in India

Two cricket players, whose names have been kept confidential, encountered a disturbing…

NuvaRing Makes Its Debut on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

Australians will have access to another affordable contraception option as a vaginal…