Affordability check · Sydney · NSW

Can I afford to live in Bondi Beach on $120,000/yr?

Tight, it's a stretch
Weekly take-home
$1,746/wk
1BR median rent
$895/wk
Leftover after rent + tax + costs
$427/wk
Rent share of gross
39%

The verdict

Bondi Beach on $120,000/yr

On $120,000/yr, Bondi Beach is a stretch, since rent crosses the 30% rental-stress threshold. About $427/wk left for everything else.

Salary needed (30% rule)
$155,133
/yr gross
Short of 30% rule by
$35,133
/yr
Take-home (after tax)
$90,812
/yr
Annual rent
$46,540
median
Household:

Where your salary goes

$120,000/yr gross · $2,308/wk · single household

Tax + Medicare
$562/wk
24%
1BR rent
$895/wk
39%
Essentials
$424/wk
18%
Discretionary
$427/wk
19%

Essentials use indicative averages (groceries, transport, utilities, insurance, other). Adjust them in the budget tool below.

On $120,000/yr: weekly budget

$1,319/week total

Rent
$895/wk
Groceries
$180/wk
Transport
$55/wk
Utilities
$55/wk
Insurance
$45/wk
Other
$89/wk

Nearby suburbs at this salary

5 closest suburbs, affordability verdict on $120,000/yr

Cheaper suburbs you can afford on this salary

Within reach of Bondi Beach, under the 30% rule on $120,000/yr

Haymarket
Sydney, NSW · 6.5km from Bondi Beach
$600/wk
Save $500/wk
Ultimo
Sydney, NSW · 7.1km from Bondi Beach
$600/wk
Save $500/wk

Rent trajectory

Bondi Beach quarterly median vs your salary's 30%-rule ceiling

$1,000$1,025$1,050$1,075$1,100Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26
Q1 '25 → Q1 '26: +10.0%
Dashed segments are estimated from the suburb's annual rent change. They will be replaced with actual bond data as new quarters are published.
30% ceiling on $120,000/yr
$692/wk
Current median (all beds)
$1,100/wk
Gap above ceiling
+59%

Bondi Beach rents rose 10% over the past year. At that pace, the gap to your salary ceiling is widening.

Same suburb, adjacent salary brackets

How affordability shifts in Bondi Beach with a pay change

Want the full Bondi Beach guide?
Schools, transport, crime, rent trend and demographics
Bondi Beach full guide →

This suburb affordability view is one layer of your NestLedger: rent, salary and household cost context for Australian money decisions.

Estimates only. Not financial advice. See methodology. Read more