Melbourne · VIC · 3144

You'll need $78,000/yr to live in Malvern.

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

1BR median rent
$450/wk
Annual rent change
Rental stress (median income)
No
Bonds lodged

Location

Melbourne, VIC

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Rent trend

Quarterly median rent

Schools

14 primary, 3 secondary within 3km

Closest primary
Malvern Central School0.2km
St Joseph's School0.4km
St Roch's School1.5km
Closest secondary
Oakwood School1.8km
Alia College1.8km
Auburn High School2.2km

Public transport

Transit score 48/100

Train/tram stops
35
within 800m
Bus stops
9
within 800m

Can you afford it on your salary?

Pick your bracket — see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Malvern

Closest to the $78,000/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

1 BR
$450/wk
2 BR
$600/wk
3 BR
$908/wk
4+ BR
$1,400/wk
Annual change
Quarterly change

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$3,075/wk
Median age
44
Avg household size
2.3
Rent-to-income
20%

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 Malvern

Malvern is located in Melbourne, VIC. The 1BR median weekly rent is $450, meaning a single person needs to earn at least $78,000 per year to keep rent below 30% of income (based on the $450/wk 1BR median, single household).

This suburb affordability view is one layer of your NestLedger — rent, salary and household cost context for Australian money decisions.

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, and VIC DFFH. This covers actual bonds lodged, making it one of the most reliable rent data sources in Australia.