You'll need $138,667/yr to live in Runaway Bay.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Gold 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 Runaway Bay
Closest to the $138,667/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 Runaway Bay
Runaway Bay's median weekly rent is $800 a week, a little under the middle of the 58 Gold Coast suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 18 tracked suburbs coming in cheaper. It is not a bargain pocket, but renters get in below the local median.
Rents have climbed a moderate 2.6% over the past year. Bond-lodgement medians go from $750 in 2024-Q2 to $800 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 $138,667 a year to take on Runaway Bay's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $800/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Runaway Bay sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
If Runaway Bay stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Biggera Waters ($550/wk), Coombabah ($750/wk), Labrador ($575/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Runaway Bay expensive to rent in?
Runaway Bay's median weekly rent is $800/wk, below the middle of the 58 Gold Coast suburbs NestLedger tracks (18 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Runaway Bay?
About $138,667 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $800/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Runaway Bay going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +2.6%, from $750 in 2024-Q2 to $800 in 2026-Q1.
What are cheaper suburbs near Runaway Bay?
Biggera Waters at $550/wk, Coombabah at $750/wk, Labrador at $575/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.