Mortgage repayments are now cheaper than rent in some Australian suburbs. Is yours among them?

<p>As house prices plateau, the gap between the cost of buying and renting is narrowing in dozens of suburbs</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>High rents and falling property prices have opened a rare window for Australian tenants to become homeowners, with mortgage repayments cheaper than rent in dozens of suburbs.
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Guardian Australia’s analysis of Cotality data shows that median rents in inner-city Melbourne, suburban Canberra and Darwin are now nearly matching weekly home loan repayments.</p><p>In one in 10 suburbs and towns across the country, repayments are less than $200 a week higher than rent, for the typical property. In some suburbs, they are actually cheaper.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/17/buying-a-home-cheaper-than-renting-in-some-australian-suburbs">Continue reading...</a>