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Get all the data you need about the real estate market in Perth
Perth rents in 2026 are still high, but the market is a little less frantic than it was during the tightest part of the rental shortage.
We constantly update this blog post so buyers, landlords and tenants can follow the Perth rental market with fresh numbers.
This guide focuses only on residential property in Perth, with simple rent estimates for apartments, houses and common tenant profiles.
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 Perth.
What are typical rents in Perth as of 2026?
As of June 2026, a realistic long-term rent in Perth is about A$2,600 to A$3,250 per month for a standard apartment and about A$3,250 to A$3,900 per month for a typical house.
Perth is still a landlord-friendly rental market in 2026 because vacancy is low, population growth is strong, and many tenants are competing for well-located homes near jobs, universities, trains and family services.
What's the average monthly rent for a studio in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, the average monthly rent for a decent studio in Perth is about A$2,250, which is roughly US$1,460 or €1,350.
In practice, most Perth studios rent for about A$1,950 to A$2,550 per month, or roughly US$1,270 to US$1,660 and €1,170 to €1,530, depending on location and building quality.
This range makes sense because studios in Perth are cheaper than 1-bedroom apartments, but central studios in Perth CBD, East Perth, West Perth and Northbridge can still be expensive when they include parking, furniture or strong walkability.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Perth is about A$2,600, which is roughly US$1,690 or €1,560.
Most 1-bedroom apartments in Perth rent for about A$2,300 to A$3,050 per month, or roughly US$1,500 to US$1,980 and €1,380 to €1,830.
The cheaper 1-bedroom rents are more common in older stock around Cannington, Bentley, Maylands and parts of Joondalup, while the highest 1-bedroom rents are usually in Perth CBD, East Perth, South Perth, Subiaco and Burswood.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Perth is about A$3,030, which is roughly US$1,970 or €1,820.
Most 2-bedroom apartments in Perth rent for about A$2,600 to A$3,700 per month, or roughly US$1,690 to US$2,410 and €1,560 to €2,220.
The cheaper 2-bedroom apartment rents are more likely in Cannington, Bentley, Maylands, Armadale and outer Joondalup, while the most expensive 2-bedroom rents are usually in Perth CBD, East Perth, South Perth, Burswood, Subiaco, Claremont and Cottesloe.
By the way, you will find much more detailed rent ranges in our property pack covering the real estate market in Perth.
What's the average rent per square meter in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, the average rent per square meter in Perth is about A$37 to A$42 per month for apartments, equal to roughly US$24 to US$27 or €22 to €25 per sqm per month.
Across Perth neighborhoods, a realistic range is about A$30 to A$55 per sqm per month for apartments and about A$21 to A$28 per sqm per month for houses.
Compared with Sydney and Melbourne, Perth rent per square meter is usually lower, but Perth’s 2026 rent growth has been stronger than many tenants expected because the local vacancy rate remains tight.
In Perth, smaller apartments, secure parking, river views, beach access, newer buildings, air conditioning and locations near the CBD or train stations usually push rent per square meter above the metro average.
How much have rents changed year-over-year in Perth in 2026?
As of 2026, average rents in Perth are up about 6% to 8% year over year, with houses rising faster than many apartments.
The main reasons are simple: Greater Perth gained people quickly, migration is still feeding rental demand, new housing supply has not fully caught up, and vacancy remains below a normal balanced level.
Compared with the very sharp rent increases seen in 2023 and 2024, Perth rent growth in 2026 is still strong but less extreme, which means the market is hot rather than completely overheated.
What's the outlook for rent growth in Perth in 2026?
As of 2026, our base estimate is that Perth rents may grow by another 4% to 6% over the next 12 months.
The biggest drivers are population growth, overseas migration, limited rental supply, high construction costs, interest-rate pressure on landlords and strong employment linked to Western Australia’s resource economy.
The strongest Perth rent growth is likely in well-connected family and lifestyle suburbs such as Como, South Perth, Victoria Park, Bentley, Joondalup, Scarborough, Baldivis, Ellenbrook and selected western suburbs with limited stock.
The main risk is that rent growth could slow if affordability becomes too stretched, more homes are listed, vacancy rises, or interest-rate and job conditions change faster than expected.
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Which neighborhoods rent best in Perth as of 2026?
Perth neighborhoods rent best when tenants get one clear benefit: CBD access, beach lifestyle, university access, a good school catchment, or a practical commute.
The most reliable Perth rental pockets in 2026 include Perth CBD, East Perth, West Perth, Subiaco, Leederville, Mount Lawley, South Perth, Como, Victoria Park, Burswood, Claremont, Cottesloe, Scarborough, Fremantle, Bentley, Crawley, Nedlands and Joondalup.
Which neighborhoods have the highest rents in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, the top three high-rent neighborhoods in Perth are Cottesloe, Dalkeith and South Perth, where good homes can often rent from about A$4,500 to A$7,500 per month, or roughly US$2,930 to US$4,880 and €2,700 to €4,500.
These Perth neighborhoods command premium rents because tenants pay for beach access, river views, elite school access, larger homes, low stock and easy links to the CBD.
The typical tenants in these high-rent Perth neighborhoods are senior professionals, relocating executives, mining and resources managers, medical professionals, expat families and high-income local families.
By the way, we’ve written a blog article detailing Sources and methodology: we used REIWA Perth Metro market data as the metro rent base. We checked rental scarcity with REIWA rental vacancy rates and SQM Research vacancy data. We then applied suburb premiums for beach, river, schools and low stock.
Where do young professionals prefer to rent in Perth right now?
The top three Perth neighborhoods for young professionals are Perth CBD, Leederville and Victoria Park, with East Perth, West Perth, Northbridge, Mount Lawley, Subiaco, South Perth and Burswood also very popular.
Young professionals in these Perth neighborhoods usually pay about A$2,600 to A$3,700 per month, or roughly US$1,690 to US$2,410 and €1,560 to €2,220, for a good 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom apartment.
These areas attract young professionals because Perth tenants can get restaurants, nightlife, gyms, trains, buses, offices, river walks and newer apartment buildings without needing a long daily commute.
By the way, you will find a detailed tenant analysis in our property pack covering the real estate market in Perth.
Where do families prefer to rent in Perth right now?
The top three Perth neighborhoods for families are Willetton, Como and Joondalup, with Rossmoyne, South Perth, Mount Pleasant, Applecross, Subiaco, Wembley, Baldivis, Ellenbrook and Canning Vale also in demand.
Families in these Perth suburbs usually pay about A$3,000 to A$4,500 per month, or roughly US$1,950 to US$2,930 and €1,800 to €2,700, for a 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom apartment or townhouse.
Families like these Perth neighborhoods because they offer schools, parks, safer streets, larger floor plans, parking, shopping centers and easier access to main roads.
Popular education options near these family areas include Willetton Senior High School, Rossmoyne Senior High School, Como Secondary College, Applecross Senior High School, Churchlands Senior High School, Bob Hawke College and Edith Cowan University’s Joondalup campus.
Which areas near transit or universities rent faster in Perth in 2026?
As of 2026, the top three fast-renting Perth areas near transit or universities are Bentley, Crawley and Joondalup, with Victoria Park, Cannington, Murdoch, Subiaco, Perth CBD and Cockburn Central also strong.
Well-priced rentals in these high-demand Perth areas often stay listed for about 10 to 18 days, while weaker or overpriced rentals may take closer to 25 days.
A property within walking distance of a university, train station or major bus route in Perth can often earn a monthly premium of about A$150 to A$400, or roughly US$100 to US$260 and €90 to €240.
Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats in Perth right now?
The top three Perth neighborhoods for expats are Perth CBD, Subiaco and Cottesloe, with East Perth, West Perth, South Perth, Victoria Park, Scarborough, Fremantle, Claremont, Nedlands, Joondalup and Bentley also popular.
Expats in these Perth neighborhoods usually pay about A$2,800 to A$5,000 per month, or roughly US$1,820 to US$3,250 and €1,680 to €3,000, depending on size, furniture and lifestyle location.
These Perth neighborhoods attract expats because they offer easy arrival, good transport, beach or river access, restaurants, international services, apartment choice and shorter commutes to major job centers.
The most visible expat groups in Perth often include British, Irish, New Zealand, Indian, Chinese, South African, Filipino and Malaysian communities, although each suburb has a different mix.
And if you are also an expat, you may want to read our Sources and methodology: we used ABS population data to confirm migration is a key demand driver. We checked rents with REIWA Perth Metro market data and SQM Research weekly rents. We combined this with our own location analysis for expat lifestyle needs.
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Who rents, and what do tenants want in Perth right now?
Perth renters in 2026 are not one single group, so a landlord should think about the exact tenant profile before choosing a suburb or renovating a property.
The big Perth tenant groups are young professionals, families, students, overseas arrivals, interstate movers, healthcare workers and people linked to the mining and resources economy.
What tenant profiles dominate rentals in Perth?
The top three tenant profiles in Perth are young professionals in inner apartments, families in middle and outer suburbs, and students or new arrivals near universities and transport corridors.
As a practical estimate, young professionals represent about 30% of demand, families about 35%, and students plus new arrivals about 20%, with the remaining 15% coming from corporate, resource, healthcare and mixed tenant groups.
Young professionals usually want 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments, families usually want 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom homes, and students or new arrivals usually want studios, shared homes, compact apartments or affordable 2-bedroom units.
If you want to optimize your cashflow, you can read our Sources and methodology: we used ABS Regional Population for population and migration context. We checked rent pressure with REIWA market data and SQM vacancy data. Tenant shares are our market estimates, not official census categories.
Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished in Perth?
In Perth, about 75% to 85% of long-term tenants prefer unfurnished rentals, while about 15% to 25% prefer furnished rentals.
A furnished Perth apartment can often earn about A$200 to A$500 more per month, or roughly US$130 to US$330 and €120 to €300, when it is in the CBD, East Perth, West Perth, Burswood, South Perth or Subiaco.
Furnished rentals in Perth work best for relocating professionals, expats, students, short fixed-term corporate tenants and people who want to arrive quickly without buying furniture.
Which amenities increase rent the most in Perth?
The top five rent-boosting amenities in Perth are secure parking, air conditioning, a renovated kitchen or bathroom, outdoor space, and a pet-friendly setup.
In Perth, secure parking can add about A$100 to A$250 per month, air conditioning A$100 to A$250, a fresh kitchen or bathroom A$150 to A$400, outdoor space A$150 to A$500, and pet-friendly approval about A$100 to A$300.
In our property pack covering the real estate market in Perth, we cover what are the best investments a landlord can make.
What renovations get the best ROI for rentals in Perth?
The top five high-ROI rental renovations in Perth are split-system air conditioning, fresh paint, hard-wearing flooring, LED lighting, and a light kitchen or bathroom refresh.
In Perth, these upgrades often cost about A$1,000 to A$18,000 in total per item or project, roughly US$650 to US$11,700 and €600 to €10,800, and can lift rent by about A$50 to A$400 per month when the property was clearly below tenant expectations.
Poor-ROI renovations in Perth often include luxury finishes in average suburbs, expensive designer furniture for family homes, swimming pools with high maintenance, and major structural changes that do not solve a clear tenant problem.
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How strong is rental demand in Perth as of 2026?
Rental demand in Perth in 2026 is still strong, but the market is less chaotic than the worst part of the rental shortage.
For landlords, the main message is simple: well-priced Perth rentals still lease quickly, but tenants are becoming more sensitive to rent, quality and location.
What's the vacancy rate for rentals in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, the best estimate for Perth’s rental vacancy rate is about 1% to 2%, depending on the method used.
Across Perth neighborhoods, very tight areas can sit below 1%, while softer or more outer locations can be closer to 2% or slightly above when more similar properties are available.
Historically, a balanced Perth rental market is closer to about 2.5% to 3.5%, so the 2026 vacancy rate still points to a market that favors landlords.
Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Perth.
How many days do rentals stay listed in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, a typical well-priced rental in Perth stays listed for about 15 to 22 days.
In stronger Perth pockets, good inner-city apartments and family homes in school or beach areas can lease in about 10 to 14 days, while overpriced or poorly presented rentals can take 25 to 35 days.
Compared with one year ago, Perth rentals are still moving quickly, but the small rise in vacancy means tenants have slightly more choice than during the tightest period.
Which months have peak tenant demand in Perth?
The peak tenant demand months in Perth are usually January, February and March, with a smaller second lift in July and August.
These Perth rental peaks are driven by job starts, university intake, school-year planning, post-holiday moves, expat arrivals and interstate relocations.
The lowest tenant demand in Perth is usually in May, June and parts of December, when fewer households want to move and many people delay decisions around winter or holidays.
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What will my monthly costs be in Perth as of 2026?
For a Perth landlord in 2026, the main monthly costs are council rates, water service charges, land tax if applicable, strata fees for apartments, insurance, repairs and property management.
As a simple rule, many Perth investors should budget about A$650 to A$1,100 per month for an apartment and about A$750 to A$1,400 per month for a house, excluding mortgage repayments.
What property taxes should landlords expect in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, a typical Perth landlord may pay about A$2,500 to A$4,500 per year in council rates, land tax and related property charges, equal to roughly US$1,630 to US$2,930 or €1,500 to €2,700.
The realistic low-to-high range is wide, from about A$1,800 to more than A$8,000 per year, or roughly US$1,170 to over US$5,200 and €1,080 to over €4,800, depending on land value, council area and whether land tax applies.
In Perth, council rates are set by local governments, while WA land tax is based on taxable land value above the threshold, with extra Metropolitan Region Improvement Tax possible for taxable Perth metro land.
Please note that, in our property pack covering the real estate market in Perth, we cover what exemptions or deductions may be available to reduce property taxes for landlords.
What utilities do landlords often pay in Perth right now?
Perth landlords most commonly pay water service charges, sewerage or drainage service charges, council rates, strata-related shared utilities and building insurance, while tenants usually pay electricity, gas, internet and water use.
For landlord-paid utilities in Perth, a practical monthly allowance is about A$80 to A$180 for water and service charges, A$150 to A$400 for strata-related shared costs in apartments, and A$80 to A$180 for insurance.
The common Perth practice is that owners remain responsible for property-related fixed charges, while tenants pay daily consumption costs when the rental agreement and metering allow it.
How is rental income taxed in Perth as of 2026?
As of 2026, rental income in Perth is taxed by the Australian Taxation Office as Australian rental income, with resident landlords taxed at marginal rates and foreign landlords usually taxed from the first dollar.
Perth landlords can usually claim deductions for property management fees, repairs, council rates, water service charges, insurance, loan interest, strata fees, advertising, depreciation and other eligible rental expenses.
Common Perth-specific tax mistakes include forgetting WA land tax timing, mixing up water service charges and tenant water use, claiming private-use costs, and assuming a rent increase can always be applied immediately during a lease.
We cover these mistakes, among others, in our Sources and methodology: we used ATO Rental properties guide 2026, ATO resident tax rates and WA rent increase rules. We also checked WA land-tax treatment with WA land tax assessment. This is a practical overview, not personal tax advice.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Australia versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
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 Perth, 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 reliable | How we used it for this Perth rent guide |
|---|---|---|
| REIWA Perth Metro market data | REIWA is Western Australia’s main real estate institute and uses local market data from real estate professionals and Landgate-linked information. | We used it as the main source for Perth median weekly rents by dwelling type and bedroom count. We treated it as the anchor for real local rents in Perth. |
| REIWA rental vacancy rates | REIWA tracks rental vacancy through member rent-roll surveys, which makes it useful for local Western Australian rental conditions. | We used it to describe how tight the Perth rental market was in May 2026. We also used its balanced-market range to explain vacancy in simple terms. |
| SQM Research weekly rents | SQM Research is a long-running Australian property data provider with market-index tables for asking rents and vacancies. | We used it to cross-check Perth weekly asking rents for houses, units and 2-bedroom units. We also used its year-on-year movement to estimate 2026 rent momentum. |
| SQM Research vacancy report, May 2026 | SQM measures advertised vacancies, which gives another view of how many rentals are actually sitting empty online. | We used it as a stricter active-vacancy check for Perth. We kept it separate from REIWA because both methods answer slightly different questions. |
| ABS Regional Population 2024-25 | The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia’s national statistics agency, so it is the main authority for population data. | We used it to understand Greater Perth population growth and migration. We used that demand backdrop to explain why rents are high across many Perth suburbs. |
| ABS CPI, March 2026 | The ABS Consumer Price Index is Australia’s official inflation benchmark. | We used it to frame rent pressure inside broader housing-cost inflation. We did not use it alone for new-lease rents because CPI includes existing tenancies. |
| RBA Statement on Monetary Policy, May 2026 | The Reserve Bank of Australia is the country’s central bank and publishes respected commentary on inflation, interest rates and economic conditions. | We used it to frame interest-rate pressure and macro risk. We used it for the rent-growth outlook, not for suburb-level Perth rents. |
| CBRE Australian Residential Figures Q1 2026 | CBRE is a major property research firm with national residential market coverage. | We used it to compare Perth with the broader Australian residential shortage. We treated it as a market benchmark, not as the main Perth rent source. |
| WA Consumer Protection rent increases | WA Consumer Protection is the official state source for tenant and landlord rules in Western Australia. | We used it to explain rent-increase rules and lease timing. We used it to show why market rent growth does not hit every sitting tenant immediately. |
| WA Consumer Protection utilities | This is official WA guidance on who pays bills, rates and utilities when renting. | We used it to separate landlord-paid costs from tenant-paid costs. We used it to keep monthly cost assumptions realistic for Perth landlords. |
| Water Corporation landlord guidance | Water Corporation is Western Australia’s public water utility, so it is the right source for water billing responsibilities. | We used it to confirm that owners remain responsible for water service charges. We also used it to explain that tenants usually pay water use when agreed. |
| Water Corporation service charges | This source explains official WA water, sewerage and drainage service charges. | We used it to estimate landlord-paid fixed water costs. We kept those charges separate from tenant water consumption. |
| WA land tax assessment | RevenueWA and the WA Department of Finance administer state land tax. | We used it for WA land tax thresholds, rates and Metropolitan Region Improvement Tax. We used it to estimate annual landlord tax costs in Perth. |
| WA about land tax | This is the WA government’s general explainer for who pays land tax and when it is assessed. | We used it to explain the timing of WA land tax for investors. We also used it to avoid confusing principal residences with taxable investment property. |
| City of Perth rates and ESL | City of Perth is the local rating authority for the central Perth municipality. | We used it as a benchmark for council rates and Emergency Services Levy treatment. We did not apply it to every suburb because Perth metro has many councils. |
| ATO Rental properties guide 2026 | The Australian Taxation Office is Australia’s official tax authority. | We used it for rental income and deductible expense treatment. We combined it with ATO tax-rate pages to explain resident and foreign landlord taxation. |
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