The cheapest places to buy property in Australia

Australian home prices have skyrocketed since the COVID period with many prospective buyers feel they've been priced out of the market.

The median price for a detached house in Australia’s capital cities is over the million-dollar mark – at $1,068,696 as of September 2025 – while units command a median price of $718,495. In regional areas, the median home price is $700,652.

But there are markets within markets, and you can buy a home well below $1 million in many places in Australia. In fact, there are a couple of spots you might find a suitable dwelling for less than $100,000! So where can you find a bargain buy?

Where are the cheapest places to buy a property in Australia?

It will come as no surprise that many of the lowest-priced homes in Australia are in remote locations, making them unlikely to be on the radar of many homebuyers.

Nevertheless, these 10 areas boast the lowest median house prices in the country, according to Cotality data as at July 2025.

Suburb	State	Property type	Median house price
Collarenebri	NSW	H	$25,000
Boggabilla	NSW	H	$25,000
Brewarrina	NSW	H	$59,000
Andamooka	SA	H	$67,000
Kendenup	WA	H	$67,500
Ungarie	NSW	H	$79,000
Menindee	NSW	H	$80,000
Coober Pedy	SA	H	$85,000
Mullewa	WA	H	$90,000
Cunnamulla	QLD	H	$99,750

While remote communities may offer cheaper housing, this can often come with limited amenities and services. The cost of living can also be disproportionately higher in remote areas than in other parts of Australia.

Capital city suburbs with the cheapest house prices 2025

Of course, remote living isn’t for everyone. For people looking to stay close to their nearest capital city and the amenities it brings, buying a property in one of the locations above may not tick the boxes

YourMortgage.com.au market research identified suburbs within 25 kilometres of each capital city with the lowest median house prices for people looking for affordable metropolitan living.

These locations may be suitable for families and first homebuyers looking to strike a balance between housing costs and accessibility to work opportunities, community facilities, and other benefits of suburban living. However, as with many affordable suburbs, some may come with inbuilt downsides, like higher-than-average crime rates, overstretched services, or other issues.

It goes without saying research is essential for any property purchase, as is weighing up pros and cons.

A competitive home loan can also make a considerable difference to home affordability. The table below features some of the lowest rate home loans for owner occupiers available on the market.

Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

Being at the affordable end of the market, many of the suburbs below have already experienced higher rates of growth than their city’s median and prices may continue to rise even as national property prices moderate. All figures are accurate as at October 2025.

Sydney’s most affordable suburb for real estate: Fairfield

Fairfield, NSW 2165

• Nearest capital city: Sydney

• Distance to CBD: 30 km

• Median house price: $1,125,000 (Fairfield East)

• Median unit price: $443,500 (Fairfield)

Sydney remains Australia’s most expensive capital city for home prices, making it extremely difficult to find a suburb with a median house value under $1 million.

Fairfield, in Sydney's west, is technically just beyond the 25-kilometre ring but makes the cut given its relative affordability in the context of the Greater Sydney market.

Fairfield accommodates a mix of commercial and residential areas, mostly characterised by medium-density buildings and some newer high-rise apartments. It is one of Australia's most culturally diverse suburbs, with more than half of its residents born overseas.

Melbourne's most affordable suburb for real estate: Dallas

Dallas, VIC 3047

• Nearest capital city: Melbourne

• Distance to CBD: 11 km

• Median home price: $565,000

While Melbourne's property market has been in the doldrums for the past couple of years, it presents some affordable purchasing opportunities in good proximity to the CBD.

The suburb of Dallas, north of Melbourne, has a large Turkish and Lebanese community and is home to the Broadmeadows Mosque. The suburb consists of mainly detached houses and is serviced by the nearest railway stations Coolaroo and Broadmeadows. Unlike some Melbourne suburbs, the median house price in Dallas has risen 7% over the last 12 months.

Brisbane’s most affordable suburb for real estate: Goodna

Goodna, QLD 4300

• Nearest capital city: Brisbane

• Distance to CBD: 19 km

• Median house price: $657,500

• Median unit price: $520,500

The suburb of Goodna, on the eastern edge of the City of Ipswich, is connected to Brisbane via a rail service with good access to major motorways. Parts of the suburb are flood-prone, which can be a reason some property prices are more affordable, but Cotality data shows house prices in Goodna have risen 21% in the past 12 months while unit prices have shot up 46%.

Goodna is home to a multicultural mix and has a range of established facilities and amenities. As with any property purchase, prospective buyers are advised to do their homework on what properties have been affected by floodwaters in the past.

Perth’s most affordable suburb for real estate: Bellevue

Bellevue, WA 6056

• Nearest capital city: Perth

• Distance to CBD: 20 km

• Median house price: $560,000

In the 12 months to October 2025, Perth has seen its dwelling values increase 9.4%. As in many Australian cities, it has been the more affordable end of the Perth market that’s seen the strongest price growth in recent times.

But the eastern suburb of Bellevue has seen comparatively slower annual growth at just 4.3%. Bellevue accommodates a mix of residential developments, industrial zones, and parkland.

It was once a site of clay extraction to make bricks, but the old claypits are now mostly filled in. Locals rate the tranquil bush setting as a major part of the suburb's appeal. 

Adelaide’s most affordable suburb for real estate: Elizabeth South

Elizabeth South, SA 5113

• Nearest capital city: Adelaide

• Distance to CBD: 24 km

• Median house price: $492,500

Elizabeth South, in Adelaide’s north, had the distinction of recording the highest increase in median house price of all the Australia suburbs in 2024, jumping 57%. So far in 2025, it has climbed another 12% but, despite this, Elizabeth South remains Adelaide’s cheapest suburb within 25 kilometres of the CBD.

The suburb was established in 1955 to accommodate the flux in post-War migrants. Part of the suburb is residential while the rest is industrial – once dominated by the large Holden car manufacturing facility that closed in 2017. While Adelaide's annual home price growth has slowed to 6.7% to October 2025, Elizabeth South is seeing almost double that as homebuyers seek affordability in a still-heated market.  

Hobart’s most affordable suburb for real estate: Herdsmans Cove

Herdsmans Cove, TAS 7030

• Nearest capital city: Hobart

• Distance to CBD: 23 km

• Median house price: $380,000

Home values in Hobart have shown the most modest growth of the Australian capital cities in the 12 months to October 2025 at 2.4%.

Herdsmans Cove, about eight kilometres south of the town of Brighton and situated on the eastern bank of the River Derwent, has seen 4% growth over the same period. While offering a waterfront location, Herdsmans Cove is widely considered an area of socio-economic disadvantage.

With its low buy-in price, Herdsmans Cove may offer investors a relatively strong rental yield although it should be weighed against tenant risk. 

Canberra’s most affordable suburb for real estate: City

City, ACT 2601

• Nearest capital city: Canberra

• Distance to CBD: 0 km

• Median house price: $530,000

• Median unit price: $608,000

Canberra's median home value has slipped to fourth place of the Australian capital cities, behind Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. 

The Australian capital's 3.2% annual growth rate (to October 2025) was no match for Perth's 9.4%, seeing Perth overtake Canberra's median home value for the first time in almost 20 years.

Canberra City is probably not the first place you would think of to purchase a house. In fact, there are relatively few of them in the city centre and of the 10 that sold in the past 12 months (to July 2025), values fell by 29%.

Indeed, it's more expensive to purchase a unit in the City. These tend to be in newer, high rise buildings and have shown better price growth at 14% in just the last quarter.

City living is not without its drawcards. Its close proximity to shopping, dining, entertainment, and public transport may suit some buyers although it is a built-up area with higher crime rates than other parts of the capital.

If you're in the market for units, you can buy elsewhere in the ACT for lower prices - try Hawker with a median unit price of $370,000 or Lyons for $385,000.

Darwin’s most affordable suburb for real estate: Gray

Gray, NT 0830

• Nearest capital city: Darwin

• Distance to CBD: 23 km

• Median house price: $437,500

• Median unit price: $277,500

Darwin's property price growth has led the nation throughout much of 2025, jumping 15.4% in the 12 months to October 2025.

This may, in part, be driven by the Territory government's home builder grants of up to $50,000 for some eligible first home purchasers.

The suburb of Gray, located around 23 kilometres southeast of the Darwin CBD in the Palmerston area, is connected to the city by bus. Like many of Greater Darwin’s more affordable suburbs, Gray may not enjoy the best reputation, but its house prices are considerably below the median for a detached house in Darwin, currently around $667,300.

For investors, Gray is currently offering the highest gross rental yield of any place in Australia at 8.73% (as at October 2025).

Also see: First Home Buyer Guides