You'll need $114,400/yr to live in Hillcrest.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Adelaide, SA
Rent trend
Quarterly median rent
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Pick your bracket to see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Hillcrest
Closest to the $114,400/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 Hillcrest
Hillcrest's median weekly rent is $660 a week, placing it in the most expensive quarter of the 526 Adelaide suburbs NestLedger tracks. This is premium territory for the area, and budget-focused renters usually look at least one suburb further out.
Rents have been broadly steady over the past year (+1.5%). Bond-lodgement medians go from $600 in 2024-Q2 to $660 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 $114,400 a year to take on Hillcrest's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $660/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Hillcrest sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
If Hillcrest stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Windsor Gardens ($615/wk), Oakden ($630/wk), Lightsview ($625/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Hillcrest expensive to rent in?
Hillcrest's median weekly rent is $660/wk, above the middle of the 526 Adelaide suburbs NestLedger tracks (422 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Hillcrest?
About $114,400 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $660/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Hillcrest going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +1.5%, from $600 in 2024-Q2 to $660 in 2026-Q1.
What are cheaper suburbs near Hillcrest?
Windsor Gardens at $615/wk, Oakden at $630/wk, Lightsview at $625/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.