Brisbane · QLD · 4169

You'll need $81,467/yr to live in East Brisbane.

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

1BR median rent
$470/wk
Annual rent change
-0.8%
Rental stress (median income)
No
Bonds lodged

Location

Brisbane, 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 East Brisbane

Closest to the $81,467/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

1 BR
$470/wk
2 BR
$695/wk
3 BR
$985/wk
4+ BR
$820/wk
Annual change
-0.8%
Quarterly change

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$2,426/wk
Median age
33
Avg household size
2.2
Rent-to-income
26%

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 East Brisbane

East Brisbane's 1-bedroom median rent is $470 a week, a little under the middle of the 236 Brisbane suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 74 tracked suburbs coming in cheaper. It is not a bargain pocket, but renters get in below the local median.

Rents have been broadly steady over the past year (-0.8%). Bond-lodgement medians go from $560 in 2024-Q2 to $620 in 2026-Q1. Stability makes budgeting easier, though it says nothing about how the suburb compares on price.

Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $81,467 a year to take on East Brisbane's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $470/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, East Brisbane stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.

Within its immediate area, East Brisbane is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Stones Corner asks $630/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.

Is East Brisbane expensive to rent in?

East Brisbane's 1-bedroom median rent is $470/wk, below the middle of the 236 Brisbane suburbs NestLedger tracks (74 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in East Brisbane?

About $81,467 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $470/wk 1BR median, single household.

Is rent in East Brisbane going up?

Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved -0.8%, from $560 in 2024-Q2 to $620 in 2026-Q1.

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.