It’s the suburbs that offer buyers the opportunity to stretch their dollar further.
In 2026, savvy shoppers can set their sights on affordable wallets across the country, as well as in various locations in major capitals.
Homebuyers could pay as little as $65,000 for a home in the outback regions, according to the latest market trends and affordability data from PropTrack.
Notable locations include Andamooka in South Australia, with a house average of $65,000, or Coober Pedy with $80,000.
In Queensland’s Darling Downs, the average Dirranbandi house value is $67,500, while in Cunnamulla just $99,750 would secure a home.
MORE: A $50,000 drop: Unexpected suburbs defying home price growth
Lot 417 Gelignite Road, Andamooka, SA listed at $132,000
Brewarrina, in the Far West region and Orana in NSW, has a house average of $104,000, while buyers in Coonamble could potentially purchase a home for the price of $160,000.
Outback regions in WA also offer stunningly good value, with Norseman offering an average of $105,000, Southern Cross at $145,000 and prices not far behind Victoria’s Japarit where the average house price is $158,000.
Buyers in major capital cities can find affordability at a slightly higher price, with units being the best option.
Sydney City and Inner South medians include Ultimo at $715,000, Chippendale at $742,500 and Eastlakes at $760,000.
530 Settlers Rd, Lower Macdonald NSW listed for $565,000.
Units in suburbs such as Parramatta’s Carramar sit at a lower median of $375,500 or Fairfield’s $445,500.
Sydney’s Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury region has homes for $529,000 in Lower Macdonald, while Mount Victoria in the Outer West and Blue Mountains cost $770,000.
Average unit prices in Melbourne’s Inner Region include $353,750 in Travancore, $390,000 in Carlton and $400,000 in Essendon North, while homes in Pascoe Vale ($1.093 million) or Kensington ($1.11 million) also added value.
MORE: Australia’s most expensive streets revealed
105/70 Queensberry Street, Carlton VIC listed for private sale for $140,000
A buyer with $500,000 in Melbourne’s Inner East could score a unit in Box Hill, while $578,000 would take him to Hawthorn.
In WA, Perth’s Inner Region unit revealed a median of $430,000 in Wembley, $435,000 median in Glendalough and $492,000 in Highgate.
Perth’s North East offered houses in Koongamia for $598,500 or Midland for $600,000.
In Adelaide’s central and hilly region, Walkerville’s median is $460,000, Woodforde’s is $475,000’s and Everard Park’s is $499,250.
Meanwhile, a house average in Lobethal comes in at $700,000 or $755,000 in Mount Barker.
Brisbane’s Inner City region has units in Dutton Park for $535,000 and Spring Hill for $560,000.
Houses in Albion have an average price of $1.26 million, while in Kelvin Grove they cost $1.3 million and in Nundah $1.37 million.
MORE: Insane reason Aus rents a house for $210,000 a week
32 Diagonal Road, Ardrossan, SA listed for $329,000 to $359,000
Ray White senior data analyst Atom Go Tian said a general trend in capital cities was the affordability of apartments and established areas, rather than houses and suburbs.
“If you’re a first-time homebuyer and price is really your biggest concern, then downtown living is the more accessible option, as long as you’re willing to consider apartments or units,” he said.
Mr Go Tian said the cheapest prices nationally reflect the overall greater affordability of regional locations.
“The further you are from the big cities, the cheaper it becomes,” he said.
“Distance is one factor and normally the economy that drives these locations.
“For example, Townsville, which has a very diverse economy, would be more expensive than a place like Mount Isa, which is mainly mining.”
130 Lucas Dr, Lamb Island, Queensland listed for $478,000
In 2026, Mr Go Tian said the affordable price will be around $750,000 to $1 million, a price that is rising faster than more expensive prices of $2 million or higher.
According to Mr Go Tian, there are two main drivers for this, firstly the 5 percent down payment, which makes these affordable prices more accessible and creates a sense of urgency for buyers.
“The second is that there is a larger banking group in this more affordable segment, which is pushing out prices from the city centers,” said Mr Go Tian.
“So certainly we will continue to see these suburbs increase in price this year.”
Mr Go Tian expects affordable suburbs to approach the price ceilings of initial housing deposits and then slow growth.
MORE: Hemsworth’s eye on Aus ‘billionaire playground’ amid surprise sale
6 Kingsley Place, Melton West VIC listed at $580,000 to $620,000
“The limits in different cities are different and even in regional centers it’s different, so that will vary where those suburbs are,” he said.
Mr Go Tian highlighted Melbourne for its affordability by 2026.
“Melbourne was very special because the average unit price was between $350,000 and $400,000, which was the cheapest among the major cities and it was also the cheapest for the average house price, so there is definitely something going on there in terms of opportunity,” he said.
Propertyology director Simon Pressley said buyers’ objectives should be taken into account in the new year.
“There’s a big difference between someone buying for investment purposes, someone buying as an owner-occupier and someone with an existing homeowner who is changing for various reasons,” he said.
Mr Pressley’s advice to all buyers was that houses should be preferred over apartments because of the return on investment.
1120/18 Mt Alexander Road, Travancore VIC listed EOI $310,000 to $340,000
“Apartments have never been and never will be favored by owner-occupiers,” he said.
“Anything grows if you hold it long enough, but it won’t grow nearly as fast as a house.
“There are apartments across Melbourne and Sydney that are not worth much more today than they were ten years ago, I’m talking 10 per cent of what they were ten years ago.”
Mr Pressley offered advice for navigating the market in 2026, including setting your goals and the limits of what you can afford.
“Stress tests your limits, thinking about the what-ifs, like ‘what if I lose my job’, ‘what if I get sick’, ‘what if interest rates go up’ – and then go damn fast,” he said.
1 Roberts Street, Norseman WA sold for $46,000 in October 2025
“There’s nothing more frustrating or disappointing when they miss something. If you go fast but stay within your own safety standards, do it with gusto and next year you’ll have to do that.
“There is already considerable strength in most markets and there is no reason for anyone to think that 2026 will not be strong.
“It appears that interest rates will remain stable regardless of whether there is a small adjustment up or down.”
CHEAPEST MEDIANS IN THE CAPITAL WITHIN:
MELBOURNE
Suburban Region Property Type Median Price 12 Months
Travancore Melbourne – Inner-U $353,750
Carlton Melbourne – Indoor-U $390,000
Essendon North Melbourne – Inner-U $400,000
Flemington Melbourne – Indoor-U $410,000
Brunswick West Melbourne – Inner-U $480,000
SYDNEY
End of Sydney – City and Inner South U$715,000
Chippendale Sydney – City and Inner South U$742,500
Eastlakes Sydney – City and Inner South U$760,000
Hillsdale Sydney – City and Inner South U$780,000
Petersham Sydney – City and Inner South U$855,000
PERTH
Wembley Perth – Indoor-U $430,000
Glendalough Perth – Inner-U $435,000
Highgate Perth – Inner-U $492,000
Mosman Park Perth – Inner-U $497,500
West Leederville Perth – Inner-U $506,000
BRISBANE
Dutton Park Brisbane inner city U$535,000
Spring Hill Brisbane inner city U$560,000
Bowen Hills Brisbane inner city U$565,000
Fortitude Valley Brisbane inner city U$571,546
Kelvin Grove Brisbane inner city U$650,000
ADELAIDE
Walkerville Adelaide – Central and Hills U$460,000
Woodforde Adelaide – Central and Hills U$475,000
Everard Park Adelaide – Central and Hills U$499,250
Adelaide Adelaide – Central and Hills U$535,000
Broadview Adelaide – Central and Hills U$540,000
MORE: Falling deals fuel fear of price hikes
#Buyer #Affordability #realestate.com.au