You'll need $74,533/yr to live in Carlton North.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Melbourne, VIC
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 Carlton North
Closest to the $74,533/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 Carlton North
Carlton North's 1-bedroom median rent is $430 a week, placing it in the most expensive quarter of the 168 Melbourne suburbs NestLedger tracks. This is premium territory for the area, and budget-focused renters usually look at least one suburb further out.
Rents here have climbed hard, up 11.8% over the past year, well ahead of typical wage growth. Bond-lodgement medians go from $670 in 2023-Q4 to $760 in 2025-Q3. 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 $74,533 a year to take on Carlton North's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $430/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Carlton North stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
Within its immediate area, Carlton North is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Fitzroy asks $528/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.
Is Carlton North expensive to rent in?
Carlton North's 1-bedroom median rent is $430/wk, above the middle of the 168 Melbourne suburbs NestLedger tracks (164 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Carlton North?
About $74,533 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $430/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in Carlton North going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved +11.8%, from $670 in 2023-Q4 to $760 in 2025-Q3.
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.