You'll need $45,067/yr to live in Mackay.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Mackay, 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 Mackay
Closest to the $45,067/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 Mackay
Mackay's 1-bedroom median rent is $260 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 18 Mackay suburbs NestLedger tracks. No tracked suburb asks less on current data, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.
Rents have fallen 8.7% over the past year, an uncommon move in the current market. Bond-lodgement medians go from $430 in 2024-Q2 to $420 in 2026-Q1. Falling medians can reflect genuine softening or a change in what is being leased, so read it alongside the bond counts.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $45,067 a year to take on Mackay's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $260/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Mackay stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
Within its immediate area, Mackay is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Mackay Harbour asks $880/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.
Is Mackay expensive to rent in?
Mackay's 1-bedroom median rent is $260/wk, below the middle of the 18 Mackay suburbs NestLedger tracks (0 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Mackay?
About $45,067 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $260/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in Mackay going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved -8.7%, from $430 in 2024-Q2 to $420 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.