Cairns · QLD · 4878

You'll need $90,133/yr to live in Yorkeys Knob.

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

Median rent
$520/wk
Annual rent change
Rental stress (median income)
Yes
Bonds lodged

Location

Cairns, QLD

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Rent trend

Quarterly median rent

Schools

2 primary, 0 secondary within 3km

Closest primary
Yorkeys Knob SS2.3km
Caravonica SS3km
Machans Beach SS3.8km
Closest secondary
Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield SHS3.2km
Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield SHS3.2km
Redlynch State College8.6km

Can you afford it on your salary?

Pick your bracket — see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Yorkeys Knob

Closest to the $90,133/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

2 BR
$520/wk
Annual change
Quarterly change

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$1,456/wk
Median age
46
Avg household size
2
Rent-to-income
36%

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 Yorkeys Knob

Yorkeys Knob is located in Cairns, QLD. The median weekly rent is $520, meaning a single person needs to earn at least $90,133 per year to keep rent below 30% of income (based on the $520/wk all-dwellings median, single household).

This suburb affordability view is one layer of your NestLedger — rent, salary and household cost context for Australian money decisions.

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, and VIC DFFH. This covers actual bonds lodged, making it one of the most reliable rent data sources in Australia.