The least affordable Australian city for renters – and it’s NOT Sydney or Melbourne 

The least affordable city for renters isn’t Sydney or Melbourne, but rather surprisingly Perth, a new study has found.

New data has revealed single parents and low-income earners in the Western Australian capital are struggling to meet housing costs.

Perth has been officially dubbed ‘Australia’s least affordable city’, according to Curtin University’s Getting Our House in Order report.

The study looked at 3,600 people across Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.  

Rental prices for houses on the cheaper side haven’t dropped despite the property market softening in Perth, Nine News reported.

This means more than half of low-income earners and single parents are spending more than 30 per cent of their weekly wage on rent and utilities such as gas and water.

However, one-in-five tenants are paying more than 40 per cent of their weekly income on housing essentials.

Young single mother Amy Schober has described her living situation as simply ‘impossible’. 

‘Cost of living is really high, I feel like my wage isn’t getting increased accordingly. And being a parent is just tough,’ she said.

Rental prices for houses on the cheaper side haven’t dropped despite the property market softening in Perth

Professor Alan Duncan (pictured) from Curtin University said choices available for rental properties are priced poorly compared to their incomes

While rent is significantly cheaper in Perth than in cities on the eastern side of Australia, the addition of bills makes Perth the country’s worst city when it comes to affordability. 

Professor Alan Duncan from Curtin University said choices available for rental properties are priced poorly compared to their incomes.

‘Whilst typical rents and prices of houses have been falling, that’s really not trickling down to those at the lower end of the income spectrum who are finding it less easy to afford the rents on offer.’

Professor Duncan said for the title of least affordable city to change, Perth needs to see a greater range of properties available on the market.

Researchers have called on the state and federal government to help those struggling to get by with financial assistance.

While rent is significantly cheaper in Perth than in cities on the eastern side of Australia, the addition of bills makes Perth the country’s worst city (Sydney pictured)