Cairns · QLD · 4870

You'll need $93,080/yr to live in Earlville.

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

Median rent
$537/wk
Annual rent change
+8.5%
Rental stress (median income)
Yes
Bonds lodged

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 Earlville

Closest to the $93,080/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

2 BR
$450/wk
Annual change
+8.5%
Quarterly change
+13.1%

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$1,376/wk
Median age
44
Avg household size
2.2
Rent-to-income
39%

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 Earlville

Earlville's median weekly rent is $537 a week, a little under the middle of the 37 Cairns suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 15 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 8.5% over the past year, well ahead of typical wage growth. Bond-lodgement medians go from $472 in 2024-Q2 to $537 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 $93,080 a year to take on Earlville's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $537/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Earlville sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.

If Earlville stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Woree ($440/wk), Westcourt ($480/wk), Bungalow ($525/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.

Is Earlville expensive to rent in?

Earlville's median weekly rent is $537/wk, below the middle of the 37 Cairns suburbs NestLedger tracks (15 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in Earlville?

About $93,080 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $537/wk all-dwellings median, single household.

Is rent in Earlville going up?

Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +8.5%, from $472 in 2024-Q2 to $537 in 2026-Q1.

What are cheaper suburbs near Earlville?

Woree at $440/wk, Westcourt at $480/wk, Bungalow at $525/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.