Weekly Rents: National Up, Capitals Split — Week Ending 9 August 2026

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Weekly Rents — Week Ending 9 August 2026

The national combined median asking rent reached $779.09 per week in the seven days to 9 August, up $2.56 on the prior week and 7.5% higher than the same week last year, according to the Ripehouse Advisory rental listings database. The national rolling month sits at +1.0%, indicating the pace of growth is holding rather than fading as we move through winter.

Sydney closes in on $1,000

Sydney remains the most expensive rental market in the country by a wide margin. Houses are now asking $1,066.48 per week, up $4.46 on the week and 8.7% on the year. Units reached $939.36, up $3.75 and 7.3% annually. The combined Sydney median of $987.90 is now within $13 of the $1,000 threshold — a level that would have seemed implausible only a few years ago, and one that continues to push tenants toward smaller dwellings and outer suburbs.

Small capitals deliver the week's biggest moves

The most striking weekly movements came from the smallest markets. Hobart unit rents jumped $15.67 in a single week to $561.98, with the rolling month for Hobart units now at +2.8%. Hobart houses also firmed, up $2.95 to $664.79, and the combined Hobart median of $635.01 is 8.1% higher than a year ago.

Darwin houses added $18.09 to reach $864.22 per week. That segment is now up 12.9% over twelve months — the strongest annual growth of any capital city segment in our dataset. Darwin units moved the other way, down $19.67 to $651.45, a reminder that small sample sizes (134 house and 152 unit listings) make Darwin the most volatile series we publish.

Perth units keep compounding

Perth units rose $5.22 this week to $759.48, taking annual growth to 10.5% — the strongest of any mainland capital segment. Perth houses sit at $780.61, up 5.7% on the year. Notably, Perth units are now asking nearly the same rent as Perth houses, a compression that reflects how tight the unit market has become.

Melbourne and Brisbane steady

Melbourne houses reached $696.14 (up $2.32 on the week, 7.0% annually) and units $674.89 (up $1.39, 7.9% annually). Melbourne remains the most affordable mainland capital for houses, though the gap to Brisbane — $793.90 for houses — continues to widen. Brisbane units were the only mainland segment to fall this week, down $0.54 to $730.37, with annual unit growth of 4.6% now the softest among the mainland capitals.

Adelaide and Canberra flat

Adelaide's combined median slipped $1.53 to $677.51, though annual growth remains firm at 7.1%. Canberra was essentially flat, with the combined median at $698.46 and annual growth of 4.1% — the softest of any capital — consistent with the cooler conditions we have tracked there through 2026.

What this means

National rents are now 7.5% higher than a year ago, with houses at $777.60 and units at $781.24 — units have now edged ahead of houses nationally for the first time in this series. For investors, the picture remains consistent: every capital city is recording annual growth between 4.1% and 8.1% on a combined basis, and the rolling-month figures suggest momentum is intact rather than rolling over. Markets with the tightest supply — Perth units, Darwin houses, Sydney across both dwelling types — continue to deliver the strongest compounding. For tenants, affordability pressure is most acute in Sydney, where the combined median is closing on $1,000 per week.

Data drawn from the Ripehouse Advisory rental listings database, covering 43,318 house and 29,973 unit listings nationally in the week ending 9 August 2026.

The full data — week ending 9 August 2026

City	Dwelling	Avg Weekly Rent	Chg on Prev Wk	Rolling Mth	Chg 12 Mth
Sydney	All Houses	$1066.48	+$4.46	+1.0%	+8.7%
Sydney	All Units	$939.36	+$3.75	+1.1%	+7.3%
Sydney	All Combined	$987.90	+$4.24	+1.1%	+7.9%
Melbourne	All Houses	$696.14	+$2.32	+1.0%	+7.0%
Melbourne	All Units	$674.89	+$1.39	+1.5%	+7.9%
Melbourne	All Combined	$687.18	+$2.02	+1.2%	+7.4%
Brisbane	All Houses	$793.90	+$2.17	+0.4%	+8.8%
Brisbane	All Units	$730.37	-$0.54	-0.1%	+4.6%
Brisbane	All Combined	$770.13	+$1.37	+0.3%	+7.1%
Perth	All Houses	$780.61	+$2.20	-0.5%	+5.7%
Perth	All Units	$759.48	+$5.22	+2.1%	+10.5%
Perth	All Combined	$775.41	+$3.01	+0.2%	+6.7%
Adelaide	All Houses	$703.75	-$1.18	+0.2%	+7.2%
Adelaide	All Units	$593.39	+$1.38	+0.4%	+7.9%
Adelaide	All Combined	$677.51	-$1.53	+0.3%	+7.1%
Canberra	All Houses	$823.29	-$0.80	+1.4%	+4.5%
Canberra	All Units	$632.23	-$1.67	-1.2%	+4.8%
Canberra	All Combined	$698.46	-$0.10	+0.2%	+4.1%
Darwin	All Houses	$864.22	+$18.09	+2.3%	+12.9%
Darwin	All Units	$651.45	-$19.67	-2.7%	+5.8%
Darwin	All Combined	$751.14	-$7.17	-1.4%	+7.2%
Hobart	All Houses	$664.79	+$2.95	+1.5%	+7.9%
Hobart	All Units	$561.98	+$15.67	+2.8%	+4.3%
Hobart	All Combined	$635.01	+$6.76	+1.0%	+8.1%
National	All Houses	$777.60	+$2.81	+0.8%	+7.0%
National	All Units	$781.24	+$2.22	+1.3%	+8.4%
National	All Combined	$779.09	+$2.56	+1.0%	+7.5%
Cap City Average	All Houses	$799.15	+$3.78	+0.9%	+7.9%
Cap City Average	All Units	$692.89	+$0.69	+0.5%	+6.7%
Cap City Average	All Combined	$747.84	+$1.07	+0.4%	+7.0%

Average advertised weekly rent across all listings available during the week, Ripehouse Advisory rental listings database. Week runs Monday to Sunday; capital cities defined by GCCSA boundaries.