Melbourne · VIC · 3037

You'll need $86,667/yr to live in Sydenham.

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

Median rent
$500/wk
Annual rent change
Rental stress (median income)
No
Bonds lodged

Location

Melbourne, VIC

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 Sydenham

Closest to the $86,667/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

2 BR
$450/wk
3 BR
$460/wk
4+ BR
$530/wk
Annual change
Quarterly change

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$2,139/wk
Median age
37
Avg household size
2.8
Rent-to-income
23%

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 Sydenham

Sydenham's median weekly rent is $500 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 168 Melbourne suburbs NestLedger tracks. Only 9 tracked suburbs ask less, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.

There is not yet enough quarterly history in the bond data to describe a rent trend for Sydenham, so the current median is the figure to work from.

Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $86,667 a year to take on Sydenham's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $500/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Sydenham stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.

If Sydenham stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are St Albans ($330/wk), Deer Park ($330/wk), Keilor East ($450/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.

Is Sydenham expensive to rent in?

Sydenham's median weekly rent is $500/wk, below the middle of the 168 Melbourne suburbs NestLedger tracks (9 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in Sydenham?

About $86,667 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $500/wk all-dwellings median, single household.

Is rent in Sydenham going up?

There is not yet enough quarterly bond data to describe a trend for Sydenham.

What are cheaper suburbs near Sydenham?

St Albans at $330/wk, Deer Park at $330/wk, Keilor East at $450/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.