You'll need $78,000/yr to live in Cairns North.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Cairns, 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 Cairns North
Closest to the $78,000/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 Cairns North
Cairns North's 1-bedroom median rent is $450 a week, a little under the middle of the 37 Cairns suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 16 tracked suburbs coming in cheaper. It is not a bargain pocket, but renters get in below the local median.
Rents here have climbed hard, up 14.6% over the past year, well ahead of typical wage growth. Bond-lodgement medians go from $450 in 2024-Q2 to $550 in 2026-Q1. Renters signing a new lease should budget for the current figure, not last year's.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $78,000 a year to take on Cairns North's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $450/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Cairns North sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
If Cairns North stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Edge Hill ($420/wk), Manunda ($360/wk), Parramatta Park ($280/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Cairns North expensive to rent in?
Cairns North's 1-bedroom median rent is $450/wk, below the middle of the 37 Cairns suburbs NestLedger tracks (16 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Cairns North?
About $78,000 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $450/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in Cairns North going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved +14.6%, from $450 in 2024-Q2 to $550 in 2026-Q1.
What are cheaper suburbs near Cairns North?
Edge Hill at $420/wk, Manunda at $360/wk, Parramatta Park at $280/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.