You'll need $164,667/yr to live in Pelican Waters.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Sunshine Coast, 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 Pelican Waters
Closest to the $164,667/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 Pelican Waters
Pelican Waters's median weekly rent is $950 a week, placing it in the most expensive quarter of the 65 Sunshine Coast suburbs NestLedger tracks. This is premium territory for the area, and budget-focused renters usually look at least one suburb further out.
Rents have climbed a moderate 5.6% over the past year. Bond-lodgement medians go from $820 in 2024-Q2 to $950 in 2026-Q1. 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 $164,667 a year to take on Pelican Waters's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $950/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Pelican Waters sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
If Pelican Waters stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Caloundra West ($720/wk), Golden Beach ($395/wk), Baringa ($720/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Pelican Waters expensive to rent in?
Pelican Waters's median weekly rent is $950/wk, above the middle of the 65 Sunshine Coast suburbs NestLedger tracks (61 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Pelican Waters?
About $164,667 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $950/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Pelican Waters going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +5.6%, from $820 in 2024-Q2 to $950 in 2026-Q1.
What are cheaper suburbs near Pelican Waters?
Caloundra West at $720/wk, Golden Beach at $395/wk, Baringa at $720/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.