Port Macquarie · NSW · 2444

You'll need $67,600/yr to live in North Shore.

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

1BR median rent
$390/wk
Annual rent change
+4.3%
Rental stress (median income)
Yes
Bonds lodged
551

Location

Port Macquarie, NSW

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 North Shore

Closest to the $67,600/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

1 BR
$390/wk
2 BR
$500/wk
3 BR
$630/wk
4+ BR
$760/wk
Annual change
+4.3%
Quarterly change

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$1,744/wk
Median age
48
Avg household size
2.4
Rent-to-income
34%

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 North Shore

North Shore's 1-bedroom median rent is $390 a week, which lands in the upper half of the 116 Port Macquarie suburbs NestLedger tracks. Most of the surrounding market is cheaper, so renters here are paying a premium over the typical local asking rent.

Rents have climbed a moderate 4.3% over the past year. That is a steady drift upward rather than a spike, but it still compounds against a flat salary.

Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $67,600 a year to take on North Shore's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $390/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, North Shore sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.

Rents in North Shore's immediate area sit right at its own level: nearby Riverside also asks $390/wk, so renters trading down generally need to change area rather than suburb.

Is North Shore expensive to rent in?

North Shore's 1-bedroom median rent is $390/wk, above the middle of the 116 Port Macquarie suburbs NestLedger tracks (84 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in North Shore?

About $67,600 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $390/wk 1BR median, single household.

Is rent in North Shore going up?

Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved +4.3%.

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.