Affordability check · Central Coast · NSW

Can I afford to live in Calga on $60,000/yr?

No — not on this salary
Weekly take-home
$962/wk
1BR median rent
$520/wk
Leftover after rent + tax + costs
$18/wk
Rent share of gross
45%

The verdict

Calga on $60,000/yr

On $60,000/yr, Calga is unaffordable by the 30% rule — rent alone would take more than 40% of your gross income.

Salary needed (30% rule)
$90,133
/yr gross
Short of 30% rule by
$30,133
/yr
Take-home (after tax)
$50,012
/yr
Annual rent
$27,040
median
Household:

Where your salary goes

$60,000/yr gross · $1,154/wk · single household

Tax + Medicare
$192/wk
17%
1BR rent
$520/wk
45%
Essentials
$424/wk
37%
Discretionary
$18/wk
2%

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

On $60,000/yr — weekly budget

$944/week total

Rent
$520/wk
Groceries
$180/wk
Transport
$55/wk
Utilities
$55/wk
Insurance
$45/wk
Other
$89/wk

Closest cheaper alternatives

Still over the 30% rule on $60,000/yr, but cheaper than Calga

Nothing nearby is comfortably affordable on this salary. These are the closest cheaper options — you'd still be over the rental-stress threshold, but less so.

Green Point
Central Coast, NSW · 14.5km from Calga
$550/wk
48% rent
Saratoga
Central Coast, NSW · 12.8km from Calga
$600/wk
52% rent
Blackwall
Central Coast, NSW · 13.1km from Calga
$600/wk
52% rent
St Huberts Island
Central Coast, NSW · 13.5km from Calga
$600/wk
52% rent
Davistown
Central Coast, NSW · 14km from Calga
$600/wk
52% rent

Want options under the 30% rule? Try a higher salary bracket or browse the cheapest suburbs nationally.

Rent trajectory

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

$600$625$650$675$700Q1 '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 $60,000/yr
$346/wk
Current median (all beds)
$660/wk
Gap above ceiling
+91%

Calga 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 Calga with a pay change

↑ Higher
$75,000/yr
Calga
Want the full Calga guide?
Schools, transport, crime, rent trend and demographics
Calga 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