Between December 2022 and December 2023, wages in Australia grew by around 4.2 percent. Wage growth in recent years has been relatively low in comparison to previous years, in particular in December 2020, which only saw a wage growth of 1.3%. Inflation and CPI outstripping wages While wages have increased in Australia, they have still not matched the rate of inflation, which was sitting at 4.1 percent at the end of 2023, down from a high of 7.8 percent at the end of the previous year. The high cost of goods has also put pressure on the public, with the Consumer Price Index standing at around 136 points, compared to a base year of 2011-12. Rent is on the rise As with many around the world, Australians are also feeling the costs of rent increases. The majority of people in Australia perceive that the cost of rent has risen significantly in their local area. This in turn has seen the government expenditure on rental assistance continue to be high, with around 4.7 billion Australian dollars spent to assist the Australian public in maintaining their housing needs.

The house price-to-income ratio in Australia was ***** as of the fourth quarter of 2024. This ratio, calculated by dividing nominal house prices by nominal disposable income per head, increased from the previous quarter. The price-to-income ratio can be used to measure housing affordability in a specific area. Australia's property bubble There has been considerable debate over the past decade about whether Australia is in a property bubble or not. A property bubble refers to a sharp increase in the price of property that is disproportional to income and rental prices, followed by a decline. In Australia, rising house prices have undoubtedly been an issue for many potential homeowners, pricing them out of the market. Along with the average house price, high mortgage interest rates have exacerbated the issue. Is the homeownership dream out of reach? Housing affordability has varied across the different states and territories in Australia. In 2024, the median value of residential houses was the highest in Sydney compared to other major Australian cities, with Brisbane becoming an increasingly expensive city. Nonetheless, expected interest rate cuts in 2025, alongside the expansion of initiatives to improve Australia's dwelling stock, social housing supply, and first-time buyer accessibility to properties, may start to improve the situation. These encompass initiatives such as the Australian government's Help to Buy scheme and the Housing Australia Future Fund Facility (HAFFF) and National Housing Accord Facility (NHAF) programs.