You'll need $69,333/yr to live in Airlie Beach.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Regional QLD, QLD
Rent trend
Quarterly median rent
Can you afford it on your salary?
Pick your bracket to see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Airlie Beach
Closest to the $69,333/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.
Rent details
Suburb affordability ledger
ABS Census 2021 (income WPI-indexed to 2026) · rent vs household income
Household income is the 2021 Census median indexed forward to 2026 by ABS wage growth; rent-to-income and stress compare current rent to that estimate.
Nearby suburbs
About renting in Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach's 1-bedroom median rent is $400 a week, placing it in the most expensive quarter of the 63 Regional QLD suburbs NestLedger tracks. This is premium territory for the area, and budget-focused renters usually look at least one suburb further out.
Rents have fallen 24.1% over the past year, an uncommon move in the current market. Bond-lodgement medians go from $650 in 2024-Q2 to $550 in 2026-Q1. Falling medians can reflect genuine softening or a change in what is being leased, so read it alongside the bond counts.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $69,333 a year to take on Airlie Beach's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $400/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Airlie Beach stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
If Airlie Beach stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Bowen ($265/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Airlie Beach expensive to rent in?
Airlie Beach's 1-bedroom median rent is $400/wk, above the middle of the 63 Regional QLD suburbs NestLedger tracks (50 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Airlie Beach?
About $69,333 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $400/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in Airlie Beach going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved -24.1%, from $650 in 2024-Q2 to $550 in 2026-Q1.
What are cheaper suburbs near Airlie Beach?
Bowen at $265/wk, the closest tracked suburbs with a lower single-basis rent.
How is the salary needed calculated?
The salary needed uses the 30% rule: annual income required = (weekly rent x 52) / 0.3. This is a widely used affordability benchmark: spending more than 30% of gross income on rent is considered "rental stress".
Where does the rent data come from?
Rent data comes from government bond lodgement records: NSW DCJ, QLD RTA, VIC DFFH, SA Consumer and Business Services via SA Housing Authority, and Tasmania Department of Justice rental bond data. This covers actual bonds lodged, making it one of the most reliable rent data sources in Australia.