You'll need $134,853/yr to live in Russell Vale.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Wollongong, 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 Russell Vale
Closest to the $134,853/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 Russell Vale
Russell Vale's median weekly rent is $778 a week, placing it in the most expensive quarter of the 165 Wollongong 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 3.7% 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 $134,853 a year to take on Russell Vale's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $778/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Russell Vale sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
If Russell Vale stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Corrimal ($415/wk), Tarrawanna ($500/wk), Bellambi ($415/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Russell Vale expensive to rent in?
Russell Vale's median weekly rent is $778/wk, above the middle of the 165 Wollongong suburbs NestLedger tracks (143 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Russell Vale?
About $134,853 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $778/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Russell Vale going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +3.7%.
What are cheaper suburbs near Russell Vale?
Corrimal at $415/wk, Tarrawanna at $500/wk, Bellambi at $415/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.