Depending on where you decide to set up camp, there’s no doubt that living in Australia’s most expensive capital city to rent could quickly eat into your budget. You could be spending as much as $2,000 per week to rent out a house – that’s the median rent price in Sydney’s top two most expensive suburbs of Bellevue Hill and Vaucluse, according to property research house CoreLogic.
But you might be relieved to hear there are some suburbs in and around Sydney where the grass is greener (and the board is cheaper). They might be a little further out from the buzz of the city, the harbour views or the sun and sand of the Northern Beaches, though.
Below we reveal some of the most affordable suburbs to rent a house or unit in the Sydney area right now, according to CoreLogic data provided to Canstar on rent prices in the Sydney and Greater Sydney regions:
What are the cheapest suburbs in Sydney to rent a house?
The most affordable suburbs to rent a house in the Sydney area are Blackett and Lethbridge Park, both located about 50 kilometres (km) west of the city centre, in the Council region of Blacktown.
The top 10 suburbs with the cheapest weekly median rent prices for houses are listed below by price (lowest to highest of the cheapest rents) and then by alphabetical order, as calculated by CoreLogic.
1. Blackett – $340 per week
Blackett is a residential suburb in Greater Western Sydney, just under an hour’s drive away from the city.
The median house value in Blackett is currently close to $429,000, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Blackett is mostly made up of older couples – those aged 55 to 64 – and families (19.4%) and established couples of 45 to 54 years old and their families (also 19.4%). Elderly couples aged 65 and over are the least likely to live there (0.8%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Blackett.
2. Lethbridge Park – $340 per week
Lethbridge Park is a little further west than Blackett, but you can still typically get to the city within an hour’s drive.
According to Domain, Lethbridge Park has a population of 4,730 people with an average age of 20 to 39, made up of predominantly renters rather than owners and single people as opposed to families. The median house value is currently around $418,600, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Lethbridge Park, see the Google Map.
3. Tregear – $350 per week
Tregear is another suburb in the Blacktown Council region, about 50km away from the city.
The median house value in Tregear is currently around $405,800, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Tregear is mostly made up of established couples and families (20.7%), followed by older couples and families (16.1%), while independent youth (couples, singles and home-sharers under 35) make up 8.5% of the population.
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Tregear.
4. Whalan – $360 per week
The neighbouring suburb of Whalan features the Whalan Reserve, where a variety of sports and recreation activities are held, and is a short distance away from the Westfield shopping centre in Mount Druitt.
According to Domain, Whalan has a population of 5,962 people with an average age of 20 to 39, made up of predominantly renters (compared to owners) and far more single people than families. The median house value is currently more than $429,100, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Whalan, see the Google Map.
5. Budgewoi – $365 per week
Moving a bit further out from the city, Budgewoi is a beachy spot located on the Central Coast between the Budgewoi Lake and Lake Munmorah, about 115km north of Sydney.
The median house value in Budgewoi is currently around $422,900, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Budgewoi is mostly made up of established couples and families (17.3%), followed by elderly singles (16.2%), while young families with parents under 35 make up only 1.8% of the population.
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Budgewoi.
6. Hebersham – $370 per week
Hebersham is located west of Sydney in the Blacktown Council region, about a 50-minute drive from the city.
According to Domain, Hebersham has a population of 5,686 people, of whom a majority are owners (compared to renters) and single people rather than families. The median house value is currently about $442,300, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Hebersham, see the Google Map.
7. Toukley – $370 per week
Toukley is a Central Coast town located between Tuggerah Lake, Budgewoi Lake and the ocean. It’s about 118km away from the city and is a popular spot for retirees.
The median house value in Toukley is currently around $461,500, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Toukley is mostly made up of elderly singles (21.3%), older couples and families (12.9%) and elderly couples (12.5%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Toukley.
8. Wyongah – $370 per week
Wyongah is a suburb in the Central Coast region, about a 1.5 hour drive from the city centre and close to Wyong Public Hospital.
According to Domain, Wyongah has a population of only just over 2,000 people, made up of predominantly owners (compared to renters) and mostly single people (compared to families). The median house value is currently nearly $449,000, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Wyongah, see the Google Map.
9. San Remo – $374 per week
San Remo is a Central Coast town that borders the Budgewoi Lake. It’s about 118km away from the city and is a popular spot for retirees.
The median house value in San Remo is currently around $406,700, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says San Remo is mostly made up of older couples and families (21.3%), established couples and families (20.2%), and maturing couples aged 35 to 44 and families (15.4%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for San Remo.
10. Charmhaven – $380 per week
The pleasantly-named Charmhaven is a suburb in the Central Coast region beside Budgewoi Lake that has the Pacific Highway running through it. It is about 116km from the centre of Sydney.
According to Domain, Charmhaven has a population of only 2,545 people, made up of predominantly renters (compared to owners) and nearly twice as many single people as families. The median house value is currently around $422,800, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Charmhaven, see the Google Map.
What are the cheapest suburbs in Sydney to rent a unit?
If a unit is more to your liking, the cheapest Sydney suburb to rent one in is Gorokan on the Central Coast, which is more than 100km from the city. The Fairfield, Campbelltown, Blacktown, Penrith and Camden Council regions also host some of the cheapest suburbs to rent a unit.
The top 10 suburbs in Greater Sydney with the cheapest weekly median rent prices for units are listed below by price (lowest to highest of the cheapest rents) and then by alphabetical order, as calculated by CoreLogic.
1. Gorokan – $330 per week
Gorokan is a suburb in the Central Coast region, about a 1.5 hour drive away from the city.
The median unit value in Gorokan is currently around $346,400, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Gorokan is mostly made up of older couples and families (17.2%) and elderly singles (15.7%), while young families are the least likely to live there (2.4%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Gorokan.
2. Toukley – $332 per week
Toukley is a Central Coast town located between Tuggerah Lake, Budgewoi Lake and the ocean. It’s about 118km away from the city and is a popular spot for retirees. It also took out a place amongst CoreLogic’s cheapest suburbs to rent a house in Sydney.
The median unit value in Toukley is currently around $365,200, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Toukley is mostly made up of elderly singles (21.3%), older couples and families (12.9%) and elderly couples (12.5%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Toukley.
3. Cabramatta – $340 per week
Cabramatta is a suburb south-west of the city in the Fairfield council region and home to Sydney’s largest Vietnamese population, with around one in three residents being of Vietnamese descent according to the 2016 Census. It’s about 34km away from the city.
According to Domain, Cabramatta has a population of 21,803 people, made up of slightly more owners than renters and mostly single people (compared to families). The median house value is currently around $408,000, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Cabramatta, see the Google Map.
4. Leumeah – $340 per week
Leumeah is a suburb in the Campbelltown area. It’s about 56km south-west of the city.
The median unit value in Leumeah is currently around $355,420, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Leumeah is mostly made up of older couples and families (21.9%), established couples and families (13.5%) and older independents (12.4%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Leumeah.
5. Canley Vale – $350 per week
Canley Vale is a suburb west of the city in the Fairfield region and home to plenty of local restaurants and cafes. It’s about 32km from the city.
According to Domain, Canley Vale has a relatively large population of around 10,000 people, made up of predominantly owners compared to renters and mostly single people (compared to families). The median house value is currently around $402,000, according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Canley Vale, see the Google Map.
6. Mount Druitt – $350 per week
Mount Druitt is located about 50km west of the city in the Blacktown region. It has the convenience of a Westfield shopping centre and also the Mount Druitt Hospital.
The median unit value in Mount Druitt is currently around $388,500, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Mount Druitt is mostly made up of independent youth (19%), maturing and established independents (14.3%) and established couples and families (12.4%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Mount Druitt.
7. Werrington – $350 per week
Werrington is a suburb in the Penrith local government area, about 50km from the middle of Sydney. It borders the Great Western Highway.
According to Domain, Werrington has a population of around 4,000 people, made up of predominantly owners compared to renters and mostly single people (compared to families). The median house value is currently around $407,000 according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Werrington, see the Google Map.
8. Jamisontown – $360 per week
Jamisontown is situated about 55km from Sydney’s city centre, in the council region of Penrith.
The median unit value in Jamisontown is currently around $384,600, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Jamisontown is mostly made up of older couples and families (24.5%), independent youth (15.5%) and older independents (11.7%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Jamisontown.
9. Oran Park – $365 per week
Oran Park is located south-west of Sydney, roughly a one-hour, 20-minute drive from the city.
According to Domain, Oran Park has a population of around 4,700 people, made up of predominantly owners compared to renters and mostly families (compared to singles). The median house value is currently around $521,500 according to CoreLogic.
To get a visual idea of Oran Park, see the Google Map.
10. Fairfield – $370 per week
Fairfield is a western suburb of Sydney, located about 30km from the city centre.
The median unit value in Fairfield is currently around $392,900, according to CoreLogic. Realestate.com.au’s suburb profile says Fairfield is mostly made up of independent youth (26.6%), maturing and established independents (15.7%) and established couples and families (11.6%).
To get a visual idea of the area, see the Google Map for Fairfield.
Image source: MEzairi (Shutterstock)