Sydney had the highest median house value compared to other capital cities in Australia as of April 2025, with a value of over 1.47 million Australian dollars. Brisbane similarly had relatively high average residential housing values, passing Canberra and Melbourne to top the pricing markets for real estate across the country alongside Sydney. Housing affordability in Australia Throughout 2024, the average price of residential dwellings remained high across Australia, with several capital cities breaking price records. Rising house prices continue to be an issue for potential homeowners, with many low- and middle-income earners priced out of the market. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Australia’s house price-to-income ratio declined slightly to 119.2 index points. With the share of household income spent on mortgage repayments increasing alongside the disparity in supply and demand, inflating construction costs, and low borrowing capacity, the homeownership dream has become an unattainable prospect for the average person in Australia. Does the rental market offer better prospects? Renting for prolonged periods has become inevitable for many Australians due to the country’s largely inaccessible property ladder. However, record low vacancy rates and elevated median weekly house and unit rent prices within Australia’s rental market are making renting a less appealing prospect. In financial year 2024, households in the Greater Sydney metropolitan area reported spending around 30 percent of their household income on rent.
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.
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Australia Housing Affordability Index: Queensland: Brisbane data was reported at 104.100 Index in Jun 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 112.400 Index for Mar 2010. Australia Housing Affordability Index: Queensland: Brisbane data is updated quarterly, averaging 183.007 Index from Sep 1984 (Median) to Jun 2010, with 104 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 238.095 Index in Sep 2000 and a record low of 83.800 Index in Mar 2008. Australia Housing Affordability Index: Queensland: Brisbane data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Housing Industry Association. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.EB019: Housing Affordability Index: Based on Commonwealth Bank of Australia Home Price (Discontinued). Rebased Index. Replacement series ID: 305195501
In the June quarter of 2024, the average residential property price in Queensland exceeded 885 thousand Australian dollars. This marked the highest quarterly mean dwelling price in Queensland during the reported period.
In the third quarter of 2023, the median price of residential property transfers for established housing in Brisbane came to around 790 thousand Australian dollars. This marked the highest median price of established housing transfers in Brisbane within the given time period.
In the first half of 2022, median house prices in Australia grew the most in Brisbane, where the average growth rate was around 25 percent. On the other hand, Adelaide witnessed a decline in median house price growth during the period, recording a decrease of five percent.
The New Farm area was the most expensive housing suburb in Brisbane, Australia as of March 2025, with a median property value of around *** million Australian dollars. The Ascot suburb had the next highest prices for housing in Brisbane, at around **** million dollars.
Sydney was the markets with the highest rent for industrial and logistics real estate in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in the second half of 2023. Sydney had an average net asking rent of over 22 U.S. dollars per square meter per month, eight U.S. dollars above the average rent in the second-ranking market, Brisbane. Rents in India, on the other hand, were substantially lower. In Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi, the square meter rent was less than one U.S. dollar.
In 2024, one square meter of greenfield land cost an average of 992 Australian dollars in South East Queensland, Australia. This was the highest price recorded in the past decade for that region.
In Melbourne, Australia, in the fourth quarter of 2024, the weekly costs of public transport per household amounted to ** Australian dollars. Comparatively, average public transport costs in Brisbane were approximately **** Australian dollars. According to the source, an average household in Australia's capital cities spent approximately ***** dollars per week on public transport in the fourth quarter of 2024.
In Brisbane, Australia, in the first quarter of 2024, the weekly fuel costs per household amounted to around ***** Australian dollars. An average household in Australia's capital cities spent approximately ***** dollars per week on fuel in the fourth quarter of 2024.
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Sydney had the highest median house value compared to other capital cities in Australia as of April 2025, with a value of over 1.47 million Australian dollars. Brisbane similarly had relatively high average residential housing values, passing Canberra and Melbourne to top the pricing markets for real estate across the country alongside Sydney. Housing affordability in Australia Throughout 2024, the average price of residential dwellings remained high across Australia, with several capital cities breaking price records. Rising house prices continue to be an issue for potential homeowners, with many low- and middle-income earners priced out of the market. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Australia’s house price-to-income ratio declined slightly to 119.2 index points. With the share of household income spent on mortgage repayments increasing alongside the disparity in supply and demand, inflating construction costs, and low borrowing capacity, the homeownership dream has become an unattainable prospect for the average person in Australia. Does the rental market offer better prospects? Renting for prolonged periods has become inevitable for many Australians due to the country’s largely inaccessible property ladder. However, record low vacancy rates and elevated median weekly house and unit rent prices within Australia’s rental market are making renting a less appealing prospect. In financial year 2024, households in the Greater Sydney metropolitan area reported spending around 30 percent of their household income on rent.