You'll need $95,333/yr to live in Rockdale.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Sydney, 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 Rockdale
Closest to the $95,333/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 Rockdale
Rockdale's 1-bedroom median rent is $550 a week, a little under the middle of the 599 Sydney suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 172 tracked suburbs coming in cheaper. It is not a bargain pocket, but renters get in below the local median.
Rents have climbed a moderate 4.5% 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 $95,333 a year to take on Rockdale's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $550/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Rockdale sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
Within its immediate area, Rockdale is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Bardwell Valley asks $890/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.
Is Rockdale expensive to rent in?
Rockdale's 1-bedroom median rent is $550/wk, below the middle of the 599 Sydney suburbs NestLedger tracks (172 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Rockdale?
About $95,333 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $550/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in Rockdale going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved +4.5%.
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.