Newcastle · NSW · 2319

You'll need $101,400/yr to live in Oyster Cove.

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

Median rent
$585/wk
Annual rent change
+0.9%
Rental stress (median income)
Yes
Bonds lodged
40

Location

Newcastle, 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 Oyster Cove

Closest to the $101,400/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

3 BR
$580/wk
4+ BR
$690/wk
Annual change
+0.9%
Quarterly change
-2.5%

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$1,401/wk
Median age
56
Avg household size
2.4
Rent-to-income
42%

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 Oyster Cove

Oyster Cove's median weekly rent is $585 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 295 Newcastle suburbs NestLedger tracks. Only 66 tracked suburbs ask less, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.

Rents have been broadly steady over the past year (+0.9%). 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 $101,400 a year to take on Oyster Cove's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $585/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Oyster Cove sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.

Within its immediate area, Oyster Cove is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Medowie asks $660/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.

Is Oyster Cove expensive to rent in?

Oyster Cove's median weekly rent is $585/wk, below the middle of the 295 Newcastle suburbs NestLedger tracks (66 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in Oyster Cove?

About $101,400 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $585/wk all-dwellings median, single household.

Is rent in Oyster Cove going up?

Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +0.9%.

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.