Rent costs now exceed half of median take-home pay in every Australian capital

Everybody's Home’s 2026 Priced Out report reveals that renting an apartment now costs more than half of a median worker’s disposable income across every Australian capital. Nationally, the average weekly rent of $614 equals 56% of the take-home salary of someone earning $70,000, close to the country's median income. Sydney is the most expensive market, demanding 69% of a $70,000 earner’s weekly pay, while Adelaide, the least costly capital, still surpasses the 50% mark.

The analysis shows that even households earning $130,000 annually spend over a third of their income on rent, and housing stress exceeds the 30% benchmark for many. The advocacy group urges the federal and state governments to build 940,000 public and community homes over 15 years, impose limits on rent increases, and end no-grounds evictions. It also praises recent tax reforms but stresses that further policy action is needed to protect renters.