Get all the data you need about the real estate market in Canberra
Canberra's rental market in March 2026 is one of the tightest in Australia, with a vacancy rate of just 1.1% across the city.
This blog post covers residential rental yields across Canberra's key neighborhoods, so you can see exactly where the numbers stack up for buyers and investors right now.
We update this blog post regularly, so the data you see here always reflects current market conditions.
And if you're planning to buy a property in Canberra, you may want to download our real estate database about Canberra.
A quick summary table
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Canberra neighborhood with the best rental yield | Gungahlin (one-bed apartment, 6.0% gross) |
| Canberra neighborhood with the weakest rental yield | Griffith (three-bed house, 3.2% gross) |
| Average gross yield across Canberra | 4.6% |
| Average net yield across Canberra | 3.1% |
| Median purchase price in the table | A$620,000 |
| Average monthly rent across Canberra neighborhoods | A$2,600 |
| Average occupancy rate across Canberra | 94.8% |
| Fastest-leasing Canberra market | Franklin (three-bed house, 10 days average) |
| Slowest-leasing Canberra market | Griffith (three-bed house, 21 days average) |
| Highest-occupancy Canberra market | Franklin (three-bed house and townhouse, 97%) |
| Best value high-yield segment in Canberra | One-bed apartments under A$470,000 in Gungahlin, Bruce, and Belconnen |
| Yield gap between best and worst Canberra properties | 2.8 percentage points (6.0% vs 3.2% gross) |
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Canberra neighborhoods and property types in 2026 ranked by rental yield
This table ranks the top neighborhoods and property types in the Canberra market by gross rental yield.
For each neighborhood and property type, the table includes average purchase price, average monthly rent, gross rental yield, net rental yield, annual fees, average occupancy, average time to rent, main rental demand, main risk, and investment profile.
By the way, you'll find much more detailed data in our real estate database about Canberra.
| # | Neighborhood | Property type | Gross rental yield | Net rental yield | Average purchase price | Average monthly rent | Ownership annual fees | Average occupancy | Average time to rent | Main rental demand | Main risk | Rental Investment Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gungahlin | One-bed apartment | 6.0% | 4.3% | A$395,000 | A$1,972 | A$5,600 | 95% | 11 days | Young rail commuters | New tower competition | Top Pick |
| 2 | Bruce | One-bed apartment | 5.8% | 4.2% | A$410,000 | A$1,993 | A$5,800 | 96% | 10 days | Students and hospital staff | High strata drag | Top Pick |
| 3 | Phillip | One-bed apartment | 5.8% | 4.1% | A$445,000 | A$2,167 | A$6,900 | 95% | 12 days | Hospital and office workers | New supply pressure | Strong Potential |
| 4 | Belconnen | One-bed apartment | 5.5% | 4.0% | A$470,000 | A$2,167 | A$6,200 | 96% | 11 days | Lakeside young professionals | Investor-heavy resale market | Strong Potential |
| 5 | Gungahlin | Two-bed apartment | 5.4% | 3.8% | A$455,000 | A$2,058 | A$6,400 | 95% | 12 days | Young couples near light rail | High apartment supply | Strong Potential |
| 6 | Bruce | Two-bed apartment | 5.3% | 3.7% | A$540,000 | A$2,383 | A$7,800 | 95% | 12 days | Hospital workers and postgrads | Body-corporate cost creep | Strong Potential |
| 7 | Belconnen | Two-bed apartment | 5.2% | 3.6% | A$560,000 | A$2,417 | A$8,000 | 95% | 13 days | University staff and couples | Dense competing stock | Strong Potential |
| 8 | Phillip | Two-bed apartment | 5.1% | 3.5% | A$525,000 | A$2,250 | A$8,100 | 95% | 13 days | Public servants near Woden | Tower oversupply risk | Good Potential |
| 9 | Franklin | Two-bed apartment | 5.0% | 3.6% | A$515,000 | A$2,150 | A$6,600 | 96% | 12 days | Couples using light rail | Similar-stock competition | Good Potential |
| 10 | Turner | One-bed apartment | 5.0% | 3.5% | A$490,000 | A$2,042 | A$6,800 | 95% | 12 days | ANU students and young professionals | Premium entry price | Good Potential |
| 11 | Braddon | One-bed apartment | 4.9% | 3.3% | A$455,000 | A$1,875 | A$6,700 | 94% | 13 days | Young renters in the city fringe | High strata and turnover costs | Good Potential |
| 12 | Dickson | One-bed apartment | 4.9% | 3.4% | A$460,000 | A$1,950 | A$6,400 | 95% | 12 days | Tram commuters and young couples | Many near-identical units competing | Good Potential |
| 13 | Braddon | Two-bed apartment | 4.8% | 3.1% | A$660,000 | A$2,625 | A$9,100 | 94% | 14 days | Dual-income city workers | High strata levies | Good Potential |
| 14 | Turner | Two-bed apartment | 4.8% | 3.2% | A$635,000 | A$2,542 | A$8,900 | 95% | 13 days | ANU staff and professional couples | Expensive buy-in | Good Potential |
| 15 | Dickson | Two-bed apartment | 4.8% | 3.3% | A$580,000 | A$2,308 | A$7,600 | 95% | 13 days | Tram-linked professional couples | Competing new developments nearby | Good Potential |
| 16 | Kingston | One-bed apartment | 4.7% | 3.1% | A$520,000 | A$2,025 | A$7,400 | 94% | 15 days | Parliamentary staff and professionals | Premium Inner South pricing | Good Potential |
| 17 | Griffith | One-bed apartment | 4.6% | 2.9% | A$560,000 | A$2,133 | A$7,900 | 94% | 15 days | Embassy and public sector renters | Expensive unit entry point | Moderate Appeal |
| 18 | Franklin | Three-bed townhouse | 4.5% | 3.3% | A$760,000 | A$2,850 | A$7,200 | 97% | 11 days | Young families in the Gungahlin corridor | Limited townhouse resale depth | Good Potential |
| 19 | Phillip | Three-bed townhouse | 4.4% | 3.2% | A$820,000 | A$3,033 | A$7,700 | 96% | 12 days | Hospital-linked family renters | Nearby apartment supply pressure | Good Potential |
| 20 | Bruce | Three-bed townhouse | 4.4% | 3.2% | A$740,000 | A$2,708 | A$6,800 | 97% | 11 days | Medical staff and small families | Tenant churn near university campus | Good Potential |
| 21 | Belconnen | Two-bed townhouse | 4.3% | 3.0% | A$690,000 | A$2,492 | A$6,900 | 96% | 12 days | Lake precinct couples | Slower capital growth upside | Good Potential |
| 22 | Gungahlin | Three-bed townhouse | 4.3% | 3.1% | A$790,000 | A$2,817 | A$7,200 | 97% | 11 days | Young families near schools | Competition from new estates | Good Potential |
| 23 | Kingston | Two-bed apartment | 4.2% | 2.8% | A$680,000 | A$2,400 | A$9,400 | 94% | 15 days | Professional couples in the Inner South | High strata and council rates | Moderate Appeal |
| 24 | Griffith | Two-bed apartment | 4.1% | 2.8% | A$650,000 | A$2,250 | A$8,700 | 95% | 14 days | Parliamentary and embassy staff | Premium pricing compresses yield | Moderate Appeal |
| 25 | Braddon | Two-bed townhouse | 4.0% | 2.8% | A$730,000 | A$2,417 | A$6,600 | 95% | 14 days | City-fringe professional couples | Patchy townhouse supply | Moderate Appeal |
| 26 | Turner | Three-bed apartment | 3.9% | 2.4% | A$1,050,000 | A$3,417 | A$12,200 | 93% | 18 days | Executive renters near the city | Luxury stock rents more slowly | Moderate Appeal |
| 27 | Dickson | Three-bed townhouse | 3.8% | 2.8% | A$920,000 | A$2,917 | A$7,100 | 96% | 13 days | Families wanting tram access | High entry price | Moderate Appeal |
| 28 | Kingston | Three-bed apartment | 3.7% | 2.2% | A$1,350,000 | A$4,125 | A$14,500 | 92% | 19 days | Executive Inner South tenants | Very high strata burden | Limited Appeal |
| 29 | Franklin | Three-bed house | 3.6% | 2.8% | A$1,020,000 | A$3,075 | A$8,800 | 97% | 10 days | Family tenants near schools | Bigger repair bills over time | Moderate Appeal |
| 30 | Griffith | Three-bed house | 3.2% | 1.9% | A$1,950,000 | A$5,250 | A$17,000 | 92% | 21 days | Diplomatic and executive families | Very high capital outlay | Limited Appeal |
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Key insights about rental yields in Canberra
Insights
- Gungahlin one-bed apartments lead all Canberra suburbs with a 6.0% gross yield at an average price of A$395,000, making them roughly 50% cheaper to buy than a Kingston three-bed apartment that yields only 3.7%.
- Bruce consistently ranks near the top because hospital and university demand at ANU creates two separate tenant pools, which keeps vacancy low and leasing times short at around 10 to 12 days regardless of property size.
- In Canberra, the gap between gross yield and net yield is much bigger for apartments with high strata fees. Braddon two-bed apartments, for example, drop from 4.8% gross to 3.1% net, meaning fees eat roughly a third of the headline return.
- Canberra's city-wide vacancy rate sat at 1.1% in February 2026, which is among the tightest in Australia. Yet not every suburb benefits equally: properties in the Inner South still average 14 to 21 days to lease, while Gungahlin and Bruce average 10 to 12 days.
- Franklin townhouses offer the best occupancy rate in Canberra at 97%, which is unusually high and reflects strong family demand in the Gungahlin corridor where there are relatively few competing rentals of that format.
- The three Canberra suburbs with the worst net yields (Kingston, Griffith, and Turner for large stock) all share the same pattern: high purchase prices and heavy holding costs that rents simply cannot overcome, even at premium rent levels.
- Belconnen one-bed apartments at A$470,000 and 5.5% gross yield sit in a useful middle ground: cheap enough to buy with manageable strata, yet deep enough in tenant demand (lakeside location, university proximity) to stay consistently occupied.
- Three-bed premium apartments in Canberra almost always underperform two-bed investor stock on yield. Turner three-beds at 3.9% gross versus 4.8% for two-beds in the same suburb illustrates that adding bedrooms pushes the buy-in up faster than rents rise.
- Phillip looks attractive on gross yield at 5.8% for one-beds, but new apartment supply in the Woden core is the main risk here. Buyers should check how many new towers are scheduled to settle in the next 12 to 18 months before committing.
- For first-time Canberra investors, the single biggest mistake identified in this data is targeting a prestigious suburb (Kingston, Griffith) instead of a strong rent-to-price ratio suburb (Gungahlin, Bruce). The prestige premium on purchase price is rarely recovered through rent.
- Canberra family houses are fast to lease (Franklin three-bed house rents in 10 days) but their yields compress below 3.6% gross because purchase prices above A$1 million cannot be offset by rents alone, making them a capital growth play rather than an income play.
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About our methodology
We also believe it is important to show our reasoning. It is one of the ways we make our work solid, transparent, and rigorous, just as you will see in our real estate database about Canberra.
First, please note that this data is updated regularly, so what you see here reflects the current values as of today.
In order to get reliable data, we applied a strict source filter. We only used authoritative, verifiable sources, not random listings or unsupported figures. More on that point below.
For each Canberra neighborhood and property type, we aggregated the freshest purchase price and monthly rent data available. When possible, we cross-checked multiple sources to confirm the same range, including ACT Government reports and Canberra-specific portals like Allhomes.
This allowed us to estimate rental yield before costs. That is the gross yield, based on annual rent versus purchase price.
We then estimated rental yield after costs. That is the net yield, after recurring ownership and operating expenses.
These expenses vary quite a bit across Canberra. That is why two suburbs with similar rents can still produce different net returns.
For example, high-rise apartments in Braddon, Kingston, and Turner tend to carry heavier strata and body-corporate fees. Free-standing townhouses in Franklin and Bruce typically have lower strata costs. In higher-turnover areas near ANU and Canberra Hospital, vacancy friction is lower and leasing is faster, which also affects net returns.
We also estimated annual ownership fees by combining the main recurring costs linked to each asset in the ACT context. This includes council rates, strata levies where relevant, landlord insurance, and a maintenance allowance. These estimates were adjusted by neighborhood and property type to better reflect local Canberra conditions, not applied as one flat number across the city.
For occupancy and time-to-rent, we used Canberra's 1.1% February 2026 vacancy rate as the starting point, then adjusted by suburb and stock type based on observed leasing speed and local demand drivers.
This table should therefore be read as a structured market estimate, not as an exact guarantee of future performance. Honesty, quality, and rigor are at the core of our work, and they are also what you will find in our real estate database about Canberra.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our real estate database about Canberra, we rely on verifiable sources and a transparent methodology.
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 it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| ACT Land and Property Report, Jan–Jun 2025 | It is an official ACT Government report that compiles verified market indicators and land data for the territory. | We used it to anchor the Canberra market context to an official ACT baseline. We also used it to confirm that our suburb-level estimates sit within the broader 2025 to 2026 market range. |
| ACT Land and Property Report, Jul–Dec 2024 | It is a second ACT Government release built from official administrative and ABS inputs, covering the prior half-year. | We used it to cross-check the direction of travel for Canberra prices, rents, and supply across consecutive periods. We also used it to avoid over-relying on any single private-sector data point. |
| ABS Rental Market Insights | The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's official national statistics agency, which makes its rental market data the most credible public benchmark available. | We used it to frame how rents behave across Australia's private rental market and to keep the Canberra estimates aligned with official rental measurement concepts. We also used it to support the discussion of tight supply and tenant competition in the ACT. |
| ABS CPI Release | The ABS is the primary official source for inflation and rent-related CPI data in Australia. | We used it to confirm the latest official publication timing around rents and inflation. We also used it as a macro check when judging whether private rent series looked reasonable for the Canberra market in early 2026. |
| SQM Research Canberra Weekly Rents | SQM Research is a widely used Australian property data provider with a transparent rent and vacancy methodology. | We used it to anchor March 2026 Canberra-wide asking-rent levels for both houses and units. We then used those city benchmarks to keep our suburb-level estimates within a realistic Canberra range. |
| SQM Research Vacancy Report, February 2026 | It is SQM's published monthly vacancy report, which provides city-level vacancy rate comparisons across Australia. | We used it to anchor Canberra's February 2026 vacancy rate at 1.1%. We then used that figure as the market-wide occupancy backdrop when calibrating our suburb-level estimates. |
| Allhomes Suburb Profiles (Braddon, Turner, Dickson, Bruce, Belconnen, Phillip, Franklin, Gungahlin, Kingston, Griffith) | Allhomes is Canberra's best-known local property portal, with deep suburb-level sales and rental listing coverage specific to the ACT. | We used each suburb profile to cross-check median sale prices, recent sold examples, and active rental listings for that neighborhood. We also used them to identify which property formats are most common and most liquid in each suburb. |
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