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This article explains the current housing prices in Canberra in 2026, using the latest public data available for the Canberra property market.
We constantly update this blog post, because Canberra housing prices can change quickly when interest rates, listings, and buyer demand move.
You will find simple numbers for average prices, median prices, price per square metre, neighbourhoods, taxes, and what different budgets can buy in Canberra.
And if you’re planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Canberra.
Insights
- The median housing price in Canberra in 2026 is about A$891,000, which is lower than the official average price because expensive detached houses pull the average upward.
- Canberra property prices in 2026 are not falling sharply, but the market is calmer than Australia’s strongest growth cities, which gives buyers more time to compare homes.
- A small Canberra apartment is usually the realistic entry point, because detached houses in the ACT often sit well above the all-dwelling median.
- The typical entry budget for Canberra real estate in 2026 starts around A$430,000 to A$560,000 for a 1-bedroom existing apartment.
- Canberra houses and units behave differently, with detached houses still supported by land value and family demand, while units remain the main affordability option.
- Listing prices in Canberra are often 3% to 6% above the final sale price, especially when a property has been online for several weeks.
- The highest price per square metre in Canberra is usually in Inner South houses and well-located apartments in Kingston, Braddon, Barton, Campbell, and the City.
- A buyer should usually add 3% to 8% to the purchase price for taxes and basic transaction costs before thinking about renovation work.
- With US$500,000, a buyer can realistically target a good Canberra apartment, a townhouse in Gungahlin, or an older entry house in outer areas.
What is the average housing price in Canberra in 2026?
The median housing price in Canberra in 2026 is usually more useful than the average housing price, because the median shows the middle of the market and is less distorted by very expensive houses.
We are writing this as of 2026, using the latest Canberra housing data collected from authoritative sources that we manually double checked.
The median housing price in Canberra in 2026 is about A$891,000, which is about US$579,000 or €534,000. The average housing price in Canberra in 2026 is about A$1,018,000, which is about US$662,000 or €611,000.
For about 80% of residential properties in Canberra in 2026, a realistic price range is about A$430,000 to A$1,650,000, or about US$280,000 to US$1,073,000, or about €258,000 to €990,000.
A realistic entry range in Canberra in 2026 is about A$430,000 to A$560,000, or about US$280,000 to US$364,000, or about €258,000 to €336,000, which usually buys a 1-bedroom existing apartment of 45 to 60 sqm in Belconnen, Gungahlin, Bruce, Phillip, or Tuggeranong.
A realistic luxury range in Canberra in 2026 is about A$1.8 million to A$3.5 million or more, or about US$1.17 million to US$2.28 million or more, or about €1.08 million to €2.10 million or more, which usually buys a 4 or 5-bedroom detached house in Griffith, Red Hill, Forrest, Yarralumla, Deakin, or O’Malley.
By the way, you will find much more detailed price ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Canberra.
Are Canberra property listing prices close to the actual sale price in 2026?
In Canberra in 2026, final sale prices are usually about 3% to 6% below the first advertised or asking price.
This gap exists because Canberra asking prices include homes that are testing the market, homes that have stayed online longer, and higher-price listings that may need negotiation. The gap varies most for apartments, older homes needing work, and properties in suburbs where buyers have several similar options.
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What is the price per sq m or per sq ft for properties in Canberra in 2026?
As of 2026, the median Canberra housing price is about A$6,300 per sqm, or about US$4,100 and €3,800 per sqm, which is about A$585 per sqft, or about US$380 and €351 per sqft. The average Canberra housing price is about A$6,700 per sqm, or about US$4,400 and €4,000 per sqm, which is about A$622 per sqft, or about US$404 and €373 per sqft.
The highest price per sqm in Canberra in 2026 is usually found in well-located apartments and renovated Inner South homes, while the lowest price per sqm is usually found in larger detached houses in outer Canberra because the total floor area is larger and the location is less central.
The highest Canberra price per sqm is usually in Forrest, Red Hill, Griffith, Yarralumla, Deakin, Kingston, Barton, Campbell, and Braddon, where strong properties can sit around A$7,000 to A$11,500 or more per sqm. The lowest Canberra price per sqm is usually in Tuggeranong, Charnwood, Holt, Macgregor, Ngunnawal, Banks, and parts of Belconnen, where houses are often around A$4,300 to A$6,200 per sqm and units often sit around A$5,800 to A$7,400 per sqm.
How have property prices evolved in Canberra?
Compared with one year earlier, Canberra housing prices in 2026 are up by about 4% to 6%, with a central estimate near 5%. The main reason is that detached houses stayed resilient, while higher interest rates stopped the market from rising too quickly.
Compared with two years earlier, Canberra property prices in 2026 are also higher, but the gain is moderate rather than extreme. The market was helped by stable public-sector employment, but affordability limits kept many buyers focused on units and outer suburbs.
By the way, we’ve written a blog article detailing the latest updates on property price variations in Australia.
Finally, if you want to know whether now is a good time to buy a property there, you can check our pack covering everything there is to know about the housing market in Canberra.
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How do prices vary by housing type in Canberra in 2026?
In Canberra in 2026, detached houses represent about 48% of the market, apartments and units about 38%, townhouses about 10%, duplex or semi-detached homes about 3%, and prestige large homes about 1%, because Canberra has both a strong family-house market and a large apartment stock near town centres.
Detached houses in Canberra in 2026 are typically around A$1.08 million, or US$702,000 and €648,000, while apartments and units are closer to A$590,000, or US$384,000 and €354,000. Townhouses are often around A$790,000, or US$514,000 and €474,000, duplex or semi-detached homes around A$950,000, or US$618,000 and €570,000, and prestige large homes around A$2.4 million, or US$1.56 million and €1.44 million.
If you want to know more, you should read our dedicated analyses:
- How much should you pay for a house in Canberra?
- How much should you pay for an apartment in Canberra?
- How much should you pay for a townhouse in Canberra?
How do property prices compare between existing and new homes in Canberra in 2026?
In Canberra in 2026, new apartments and townhouses usually cost about 8% to 15% more than comparable existing homes in the same broad area.
This premium exists because buyers pay for newer layouts, better energy performance, lower near-term maintenance, builder warranties, and higher construction costs that are already included in the new-home price.
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How do property prices vary by neighborhood in Canberra in 2026?
Kingston, Barton, and Griffith are popular with expats and professionals because these areas are close to the lake, Parliament, offices, cafes, and diplomatic zones. In 2026, homes in this part of Canberra usually range from about A$900,000 to A$2.4 million, or about US$585,000 to US$1.56 million, or about €540,000 to €1.44 million.
Braddon, the City, and Turner are more urban and apartment-led, with strong demand from buyers who want walkability, restaurants, nightlife, ANU, and Civic close by. In 2026, properties in this central Canberra area usually range from about A$600,000 to A$1.25 million, or about US$390,000 to US$813,000, or about €360,000 to €750,000.
Belconnen and Bruce are more practical and more affordable, with apartments, townhouses, family homes, university access, hospital access, and shopping nearby. In 2026, properties in this part of Canberra usually range from about A$500,000 to A$950,000, or about US$325,000 to US$618,000, or about €300,000 to €570,000.
You will find a much more detailed analysis by areas in our property pack about Canberra. Meanwhile, here is a quick summary table we have made so you can understand how prices change across areas:
| Canberra area | Market feel | Typical price range | Typical price per sqm | Typical price per sqft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest | Prestige | A$2.2m to A$4.0m US$1.43m to US$2.60m |
A$8,500 to A$12,000 US$5,525 to US$7,800 |
A$790 to A$1,115 US$514 to US$725 |
| Red Hill | Luxury family | A$1.8m to A$3.5m US$1.17m to US$2.28m |
A$7,800 to A$11,000 US$5,070 to US$7,150 |
A$725 to A$1,022 US$471 to US$664 |
| Yarralumla | Diplomatic and lake | A$1.9m to A$3.6m US$1.24m to US$2.34m |
A$8,000 to A$11,500 US$5,200 to US$7,475 |
A$743 to A$1,068 US$483 to US$694 |
| Deakin | Executive and medical | A$1.5m to A$2.8m US$975k to US$1.82m |
A$7,000 to A$10,000 US$4,550 to US$6,500 |
A$650 to A$929 US$423 to US$604 |
| Griffith | Inner South lifestyle | A$1.2m to A$2.5m US$780k to US$1.63m |
A$7,200 to A$10,500 US$4,680 to US$6,825 |
A$669 to A$975 US$435 to US$634 |
| Kingston | Lake and apartments | A$650k to A$1.6m US$423k to US$1.04m |
A$8,000 to A$11,000 US$5,200 to US$7,150 |
A$743 to A$1,022 US$483 to US$664 |
| Braddon | Urban popular | A$580k to A$1.25m US$377k to US$813k |
A$7,500 to A$10,500 US$4,875 to US$6,825 |
A$697 to A$975 US$453 to US$634 |
| Campbell | Premium commute | A$900k to A$2.2m US$585k to US$1.43m |
A$7,000 to A$10,000 US$4,550 to US$6,500 |
A$650 to A$929 US$423 to US$604 |
| Ainslie | Character family | A$1.1m to A$1.9m US$715k to US$1.24m |
A$6,500 to A$9,000 US$4,225 to US$5,850 |
A$604 to A$836 US$393 to US$543 |
| Belconnen | Practical value | A$480k to A$950k US$312k to US$618k |
A$5,500 to A$7,500 US$3,575 to US$4,875 |
A$511 to A$697 US$332 to US$453 |
| Gungahlin | Newer family | A$600k to A$1.05m US$390k to US$683k |
A$5,300 to A$7,200 US$3,445 to US$4,680 |
A$492 to A$669 US$320 to US$435 |
| Tuggeranong / Greenway | Entry and family value | A$430k to A$900k US$280k to US$585k |
A$4,800 to A$6,800 US$3,120 to US$4,420 |
A$446 to A$632 US$290 to US$411 |
How much more do you pay for properties in Canberra when you include renovation work, taxes, and fees?
In Canberra in 2026, the all-in cost is usually 3% to 8% above the purchase price before renovation, and about 10% to 25% above the purchase price if the home needs meaningful renovation work.
For a property around US$200,000, or about A$308,000, there is almost no normal Canberra residential market, so this budget is more likely to be a deposit than a full purchase. If a rare very small unit were available, basic taxes, legal costs, inspections, and setup costs could add around A$12,000 to A$25,000, so the total could reach about A$320,000 to A$333,000.
For a property around US$500,000, or about A$769,000, a Canberra buyer might target a townhouse, a 2-bedroom apartment, or an older entry house. Basic buying costs and light upgrades could add about A$40,000 to A$100,000, so the total paid could land around A$810,000 to A$870,000.
For a property around US$1,000,000, or about A$1.54 million, a Canberra buyer might target a family house in a good middle or inner suburb. Stamp duty, inspections, legal work, moving, and renovation allowance could add about A$110,000 to A$300,000, so the total cost could reach about A$1.65 million to A$1.84 million.
By the way, we keep updated a blog article detailing the property taxes and fees to factor in the total buying cost in Australia.
Meanwhile, here is a detailed table of the additional expenses you may have to pay when buying a new property in Canberra
| Extra cost | Type | Estimated cost range |
|---|---|---|
| ACT conveyance duty | Tax | About 2% to 5% of the purchase price, depending on the price and buyer situation. On a A$900,000 Canberra home, this can be one of the largest extra costs. Always check the latest ACT Revenue Office calculator before signing. |
| Legal and conveyancing | Fees | About A$1,500 to A$3,000, or about US$1,000 to US$2,000. This usually covers contract review, settlement work, and legal checks. More complex purchases can cost more. |
| Building and pest inspection | Due diligence | About A$500 to A$1,200, or about US$325 to US$780. This is common for houses and older townhouses. It helps buyers understand defects before committing. |
| Strata report | Due diligence | About A$250 to A$500, or about US$160 to US$325. This is important for Canberra apartments and units. The report can show building issues, levies, disputes, and maintenance risks. |
| Loan establishment and valuation | Finance | About A$300 to A$1,000, or about US$200 to US$650. Some lenders waive part of this cost. The buyer should still budget for finance checks and valuation-related fees. |
| Moving and setup | Practical cost | About A$2,000 to A$8,000, or about US$1,300 to US$5,200. The final cost depends on furniture, distance, utilities, and small repairs. This is often forgotten in the buying budget. |
| Light renovation | Renovation | About A$15,000 to A$60,000, or about US$10,000 to US$39,000. This can cover paint, flooring, small repairs, lighting, and basic upgrades. It usually does not include major structural work. |
| Full apartment renovation | Renovation | About A$60,000 to A$160,000, or about US$39,000 to US$104,000. This can include kitchen, bathroom, flooring, wardrobes, electrical work, and appliances. Strata rules can also affect timing and cost. |
| Full house renovation | Renovation | About A$150,000 to A$500,000 or more, or about US$98,000 to US$325,000 or more. Older Canberra houses can need roof work, heating upgrades, insulation, bathrooms, kitchens, and energy improvements. Large prestige homes can cost much more. |
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Australia compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What properties can you buy in Canberra in 2026 with different budgets?
With US$100,000, or about A$154,000, there is effectively no normal residential purchase market in Canberra in 2026, but this budget could be a deposit for a 1-bedroom existing apartment in Belconnen, part of the equity for a small Tuggeranong unit, or a contribution toward a non-standard shared-equity purchase.
With US$200,000, or about A$308,000, Canberra remains below the normal open-market price for most homes in 2026, but a buyer might rarely see a very small studio, use the money as a large deposit for a A$450,000 to A$520,000 apartment, or consider a non-standard purchase outside the mainstream market.
With US$300,000, or about A$462,000, a buyer can start to consider a 1-bedroom existing apartment of 45 to 55 sqm in Belconnen, an older 1-bedroom apartment in Tuggeranong or Greenway, or a compact studio or 1-bedroom apartment in Bruce or Phillip.
With US$500,000, or about A$769,000, a buyer can realistically target a 2-bedroom existing apartment of 70 to 85 sqm in Kingston or Braddon, a 3-bedroom townhouse of 100 to 120 sqm in Gungahlin or Franklin, or an older 3-bedroom house of 120 to 150 sqm in Tuggeranong or outer Belconnen.
With US$1,000,000, or about A$1.54 million, a buyer can target a 4-bedroom detached house of 200 to 240 sqm in Ainslie or Curtin, a 3-bedroom townhouse or terrace of 130 to 170 sqm in Kingston or Griffith, or a large family house of 220 to 280 sqm in Woden Valley or Weston Creek.
With US$2,000,000, or about A$3.08 million, a buyer is in the prime-luxury Canberra market and can target a 5-bedroom prestige house of 300 to 400 sqm in Red Hill, a large diplomatic-style home in Yarralumla or Deakin, or a high-end renovated residence in Forrest or Griffith.
If you need a more detailed analysis, we have a blog article detailing what you can buy at different budget levels in Australia.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it’s in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Canberra, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don’t throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we’ve listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why this source is useful | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Bureau of Statistics, Total Value of Dwellings | The ABS is Australia’s official statistical agency, so it is the strongest source for official dwelling-value statistics. | We used it as the anchor for the ACT average dwelling price. We also used it to check that private market estimates were directionally consistent with official data. |
| Cotality Home Value Index, June 2026 | Cotality is one of the main residential property index providers used by banks, governments, and media in Australia. | We used it as the main source for Canberra’s June 2026 median dwelling value. We also used its monthly and annual movements to understand price momentum. |
| NAB Canberra Property Market Insights | NAB is a major Australian bank, and the report uses property-market data that is useful for buyers. | We used it to cross-check Canberra’s house and unit values. We also used it for practical market signals such as days on market, listings, and sales conditions. |
| Domain House Price Report, March 2026 | Domain is one of Australia’s largest property portals and publishes city-level house and unit price reports. | We used it to triangulate Canberra house and unit medians. We also used it to explain the difference between detached houses and apartments. |
| SQM Research Asking Property Prices, Canberra | SQM Research is an established Australian property-data provider with a transparent asking-price index. | We used it to compare advertised prices with value-based and transaction-based indicators. We also used it to estimate the gap between asking prices and likely sale prices. |
| ACT Revenue Office, Conveyance Duty | This is the official ACT Government source for property transfer tax. | We used it to explain stamp duty and buying costs in Canberra. We also used it to show why the total buyer budget is higher than the property price alone. |
| Reserve Bank of Australia, Exchange Rates | The RBA is Australia’s central bank and the official reference point for Australian exchange-rate data. | We used it as the basis for currency conversion methodology. We rounded the conversion rates to A$1 equal to US$0.65 and €0.60 for simple reading. |
| ACT Government Planning | The ACT planning authority is the official source for land-use, development, and planning information in Canberra. | We used it to understand why supply differs across Canberra suburbs. We also used it to support the distinction between established inner areas and newer outer growth areas. |
| ACT Government | The ACT Government provides official public information about Canberra services, suburbs, housing, and local administration. | We used it as a general reference for Canberra context. We also used it to keep local explanations aligned with the way the ACT market is structured. |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Housing Affordability | AIHW is a government-funded body that explains housing affordability in Australia in a clear and evidence-based way. | We used it to frame affordability pressure in simple terms. We also used it to avoid presenting purchase prices without explaining buyer budget limits. |
| Housing Data Australia | This official data portal brings together Australian housing indicators from public sources. | We used it as a cross-check for national and territory-level housing context. We also used it to make sure Canberra was compared with broader Australian housing trends carefully. |
| realestate.com.au Insights | realestate.com.au is Australia’s largest property portal, so its buyer and listing data is useful for market context. | We used it as a broad market signal for buyer interest and listing behaviour. We did not use it as the main price anchor, because index and official sources are more stable. |
| The Canberra Times Property | The Canberra Times follows the local ACT property market and often reports suburb-level buyer behaviour. | We used it for local context around Canberra suburbs and buyer preferences. We treated media reporting as supporting context, not as the main source for numeric estimates. |
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