Rent in Elizabeth Bay, Kings Cross and Potts Point (2011)
The median new lease in 2011 was $750 a week in January–September 2026, from 1,965 leases lodged with NSW Fair Trading. That is 6% below the Sydney median of $800, and 84th cheapest of 218 Sydney postcodes.
Rent by type of home
Houses lease for a median $950 a week here and units for $750. Only home types with at least 10 new leases in January–September 2026 are shown.
| Home | Median rent ($/wk) | New leases |
|---|---|---|
| Studio unit | $550 | 241 |
| 1-bedroom unit | $700 | 1198 |
| 2-bedroom unit | $1,150 | 383 |
| 3-bedroom unit | $1,750 | 57 |
| 1-bedroom house | $700 | 29 |
| 2-bedroom house | $1,015 | 18 |
How rent has changed since 2021
Rent on a new lease here rose 50% in five years, from $500 a week in January–September 2021 to $750 in January–September 2026, slower than the Sydney-wide rise of 60%. Over the past year it rose 8%, against a 7% rise across Sydney.
How much of a local wage the rent takes
A year of rent at the median takes 36% of one average local wage of $107,270, compared with 46% across Sydney. That is the 199th heaviest burden of 218 Sydney postcodes, below the city average. Housing costs above 30% of income are widely treated as housing stress; a household with two average wages would spend about 18%.
Wage: average salary and wages of all residents of 2011 in ATO Taxation Statistics 2023–24, indexed to 2026 with the NSW Wage Price Index. Renters usually earn less than the average resident, so the real burden for renters is likely higher.
Getting your bond back
Of the 2,139 bonds refunded in 2011 in January–September 2026, 75% went back to the tenant in full and 6% went entirely to the landlord or agent. Across Sydney the figures are 63% and 12%, so tenants here are more likely than average to get their whole bond back (rank 35 of 214, where 1 is the highest full-refund rate).
The median bond was held for 498 days, about 16 months, compared with 575 days across Sydney. Bond records don't say why money went to the landlord: it can cover damage, cleaning or unpaid rent.
Compared with the region and Sydney
2011 is in the City and Inner South region, where the median new lease is $920 a week.
| Median rent | 5-yr change | Rent burden | Full bond back | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $750 | +50% | 36% | 75% |
| City and Inner South | $920 | +59% | 50% | 62% |
| Greater Sydney | $800 | +60% | 46% | 63% |
Other postcodes in City and Inner South
- 2000 Sydney and Haymarket$1,150
- 2007 Broadway and Ultimo$740
- 2008 Chippendale and Darlington$900
- 2009 Darling Island and Pyrmont$975
- 2010 Darlinghurst and Surry Hills$850
- 2015 Alexandria and Beaconsfield$870
- 2016 Redfern$819
- 2017 Waterloo and Zetland$1,100
- 2018 Eastlakes and Rosebery$980
- 2019 Banksmeadow and Botany$900
- 2020 Mascot$1,000
- 2037 Forest Lodge and Glebe$890
- 2042 Enmore and Newtown$765
- 2043 Erskineville$925
- 2044 St Peters and Sydenham$950
- 2050 Camperdown and Missenden Road$880
Source: NSW Fair Trading rental bond data (new leases and bond refunds, 2021–2026); ATO Taxation Statistics 2023–24. See the methodology for how these figures are calculated.