Wollongong's most affordable 1-bedrooms are found in the outer southern suburbs — Appin and Cataract ($380/wk), and Cringila, Lake Heights and Primbee ($390/wk). The upper end is defined by Bombo, Croom, Dunmore, Kiama Downs and Minnamurra at $530/wk. The coastal corridor commands a consistent premium of 30–40% above the city's most affordable options.

The 30% rule in context

What income do these rents require?

1-Bedroom

$450/wk

Requires $78,000/yr at 30% rule

2-Bedroom

$545/wk

Requires $94,467/yr at 30% rule

3-Bedroom

$685/wk

Requires $118,734/yr at 30% rule

The 30% rule is a common benchmark: spending more than 30% of gross income on rent is considered rental stress. Figures above use the median rent per bedroom type across all 167 tracked suburbs in Wollongong.

Methodology

Rent figures are derived from residential rental bond lodgement data published by state tenancy authorities and cross-referenced with ABS Census household income data. Medians are calculated across all bonds active within the quarter, grouped by bedroom count.

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Update schedule

This snapshot covers January – March 2026 bond data. It is a permanent archive — this page remains live as Q2 and later snapshots publish.

Next snapshot expected when Q2 2026 bond data publishes (~August 2026).

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