You'll need $69,333/yr to live in West Brunswick.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
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 West Brunswick
Closest to the $69,333/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 West Brunswick
West Brunswick's 1-bedroom median rent is $400 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 168 Melbourne suburbs NestLedger tracks. Only 5 tracked suburbs ask less, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.
Rents have been broadly steady over the past year (-1.8%). Bond-lodgement medians go from $450 in 2023-Q4 to $480 in 2025-Q3. Stability makes budgeting easier, though it says nothing about how the suburb compares on price.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $69,333 a year to take on West Brunswick's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $400/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, West Brunswick stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
Within its immediate area, West Brunswick is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Parkville asks $500/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.
Is West Brunswick expensive to rent in?
West Brunswick's 1-bedroom median rent is $400/wk, below the middle of the 168 Melbourne suburbs NestLedger tracks (5 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in West Brunswick?
About $69,333 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $400/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in West Brunswick going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved -1.8%, from $450 in 2023-Q4 to $480 in 2025-Q3.
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.