Wollongong · NSW · 2575

You'll need $117,867/yr to live in Colo Vale.

The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.

Median rent
$680/wk
Annual rent change
+4.6%
Rental stress (median income)
Yes
Bonds lodged
97

Location

Wollongong, NSW

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 Colo Vale

Closest to the $117,867/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

2 BR
$535/wk
3 BR
$650/wk
4+ BR
$850/wk
Annual change
+4.6%
Quarterly change
+0.7%

Suburb affordability ledger

ABS Census 2021 (income WPI-indexed to 2026) · rent vs household income

Household income (est. 2026)
$2,213/wk
Median age
38
Avg household size
2.8
Rent-to-income
31%

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.

About renting in Colo Vale

Colo Vale's median weekly rent is $680 a week, a little under the middle of the 165 Wollongong suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 64 tracked suburbs coming in cheaper. It is not a bargain pocket, but renters get in below the local median.

Rents have climbed a moderate 4.6% over the past year. That is a steady drift upward rather than a spike, but it still compounds against a flat salary.

Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $117,867 a year to take on Colo Vale's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $680/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Colo Vale sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.

Within its immediate area, Colo Vale is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Braemar asks $850/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.

Is Colo Vale expensive to rent in?

Colo Vale's median weekly rent is $680/wk, below the middle of the 165 Wollongong suburbs NestLedger tracks (64 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in Colo Vale?

About $117,867 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $680/wk all-dwellings median, single household.

Is rent in Colo Vale going up?

Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +4.6%.

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.