Affordability check · Sydney · NSW

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

No — not on this salary
Weekly take-home
$962/wk
1BR median rent
$650/wk
Leftover after rent + tax + costs
-$112/wk
Rent share of gross
56%

The verdict

Elizabeth Bay on $60,000/yr

On $60,000/yr, Elizabeth Bay doesn't add up — typical costs would leave you $112/wk short. You need about $112,667/yr at the 30% rule.

Salary needed (30% rule)
$112,667
/yr gross
Short of 30% rule by
$52,667
/yr
Take-home (after tax)
$50,012
/yr
Annual rent
$33,800
median
Household:

Where your salary goes

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

Tax + Medicare
$192/wk
15%
1BR rent
$650/wk
51%
Essentials
$424/wk
33%
Discretionary
-$112/wk

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

On $60,000/yr — weekly budget

$1,074/week total

Rent
$650/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 Elizabeth Bay

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.

Haymarket
Sydney, NSW · 2.5km from Elizabeth Bay
$700/wk
61% rent
Ultimo
Sydney, NSW · 2.9km from Elizabeth Bay
$700/wk
61% rent

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

Rent trajectory

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

$700$713$725$738$750Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26
Q1 '25 → Q1 '26: +7.1%
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)
$750/wk
Gap above ceiling
+117%

Elizabeth Bay rents rose 7.14% over the past year. At that pace, the gap to your salary ceiling is widening.

Same suburb, adjacent salary brackets

How affordability shifts in Elizabeth Bay with a pay change

↑ Higher
$75,000/yr
Elizabeth Bay
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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