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Data analysis by Domain has revealed the top 5 best value suburbs within 10km of the CBD, in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.

Here’s the full list for each major Australian city.

Sydney

Sydney’s property market is the most expensive across the country, with a median house price of $1.6 million and more than a quarter of the city’s suburbs recording median prices in excess of $2 million.

Within a 5km ring of the city, Bellevue Hill has a median of a huge $7.27 million, and there are multiple suburbs where the median house price is upwards of $3 million or $4 million, such as Woollahra, Paddington, Cremorne, Greenwich, and Birchgrove.

But not every one of Sydney’s inner suburbs is so out of reach.

There are some Sydney suburbs, most of which are in the inner west, which have a more affordable price tag, Domain’s data reveals.

Most affordable within 10km: Sydney

Suburb Postcode Region Median house price Distance from the CBD
Tempe 2044 Inner West $1,520,000 8km
Arncliffe 2205 South $1,550,000 9.7km
Botany 2019 City and East $1,620,000 8.8km
St Peters 2044 Inner West $1,634,500 6km
Mascot 2020 City and East $1,690,000 8.3km

Tempe sits at the top of the list, at just 8km out of the CBD and with a median property price of $1.52 million.

St Peters, in Sydney’s inner west, is the closest to the city, located just 6km from the CBD with a median house price of $1.634 million.

Melbourne

Melbourne house and unit price growth gained momentum over the December quarter as buyer and seller activity rebounded post-lockdown.

Melbourne’s house prices reached a new record high at $1.1 million, which is the strongest annual gain since 2010, at 18.6% – this represents a $660 per day increase over the quarter.

Median property prices don’t come close to those in Sydney, but after a dip in the market in 2020 amid the extended state-wide Victorian Covid-19 lockdown, property prices have skyrocketed.

At just 3.7km from the city, you can find properties here around the $1.2 million mark.

But move out just that little bit further and you can get a lot more bang for your buck.

The city’s west hands out the best deals, mostly around 9-10km away from the CBD.

Most affordable within 10km: Melbourne

Suburb Postcode Region Median house price Distance from the CBD
Maidstone 3012 West $795,000 9.8km
West Footscray 3012 West $925,000 9.2km
Footscray 3011 West $944,000 7.1km
Maribyrnong 3032 West $1,009,250 9.3km
Brunswick West 3055 North $1,025,000 7.3km

And by accepting the further distance, buyers can expect to pay as little as $795,000 instead of around the $1.2 million mark seen in North Melbourne.

Maidstone in the city’s west, around 9.8km from the CBD has a median property price of $795,000.

Meanwhile, the closeby suburb of West Footscray, a little closer to the CBD with a 9.2km distance, has properties around the $952,000 mark.

Brisbane

Brisbane’s house prices have seen the steepest annual climb in 13 years as the city’s property market comes to grips with relentless Covid-19-induced demand for property.

In 2021 the city experienced a once-in-a-generation property boom that resulted in almost 400 suburbs joining the million-dollar club.

Top of the list of best-value suburbs within 10km of the CBD is Tingalpa, in Brisbane’s east, where the median price for a house is just $650,000.

Most affordable within 10km: Brisbane

Suburb Postcode Region Median house price Distance from the CBD
Tingalpa 4173 Brisbane East $650,000 10km
Keperra 4054 Brisbane North $711,500 9.5km
Salisbury 4107 Brisbane West $731,250 8.9km
Everton Park 4053 Brisbane North $750,000 8.5km
Chermside 4032 Brisbane North $775,000 9.4km

Tingalpa is between the city centre and the bayside, about 10 minutes from Westfield Carindale and with easy access to the Gateway Motorway and airport.

Keperra, Everton Park, and Chermside, all on Brisbane’s north side, as well as Salisbury on the south, have median house prices of less than $800,000.

Adelaide

Buyers can expect to pay over $700,000 for a house in Adelaide for the first time on record thanks to a rapidly rising price growth that shows no sign of slowing.

House prices recorded the steepest gains ever with an increase of 8.6% quarterly and 27.5% annually, setting a new record high of $731,547.

Demand for Adelaide property remains strong as the number of homes sold reaches its highest point on record with its tight supply-demand ratio continuing to heavily favour sellers.

Most affordable within 10km: Adelaide

Suburb Postcode Region Median house price Distance from the CBD
Kilburn 5084 Adelaide Metro West $480,000 8km
Gilles Plains 5086 Adelaide Metro West $482,750 10km
Mansfield Park 5012 Adelaide Metro West $485,000 9km
St Clair 5011 Adelaide Metro West $485,000 9km
Lightsview 5085 Adelaide Metro West $495,000 8km

The top five best-value suburbs within 10km of Adelaide’s CBD all have a median house price of less than $500,000.

Topped by the inner-north suburb of Kilburn, they include Gilles Plains, Mansfield Park, St Clair, and Lightsview.

Perth

Perth’s house prices increased 1.8% over the quarter, reaching a new $612,348 median, and unit prices rose 2% to $380,353 over the same period.

Despite the increase in house and unit prices, the pace of growth has slowed compared to that seen in late 2020 and early 2021 and Perth continues to hold the title of the most affordable city to buy a house as prices swiftly rise across the other cities.

Interestingly, all the best-value suburbs within a 10km radius of the CBD are cheaper than Perth’s overall median of $612,348.

Most affordable within 10km: Perth

Suburb Postcode Region Median house price Distance from the CBD
Westminster 6061 North $387,500 9.8km
Cannington 6107 South East $390,000 10km
Nollamara 6061 North $410,000 8.3km
Osborne Park 6017 North $414,000 6.7km
Queens Park 6107 South East $440,000 9.9km

Westminster and Cannington are not only the most affordable suburbs within 10 km of Perth’s city centre but they’re also priced at less than $400,000.

In Osborne Park, the median house price is still only $414,000 despite the suburb’s location between the city centre to the east and Scarborough Beach to the west.

Planning to invest? Remember this

While this is an interesting list to look over, these ‘affordable suburbs’ aren’t areas where I would necessarily recommend investing.

Why?

Because even though these areas are considered ‘cheap’, their low median house prices alone aren’t enough alone to warrant a good investment opportunity.

‘Cheap’ property will always be ‘cheap’ so don’t get lured into thinking you’re getting a bargain.

Also, don’t expect investment-grade returns from secondary locations and properties.

Of course, we all know by now that location will do about 80% of the heavy lifting of a property’s capital growth.

And that’s why it’s important to buy your investment property in a suburb that is dominated by more homeowners, rather than a suburb where tenants predominate.

And I’d only be buying in suburbs where the locals have higher disposable income than average because they will be able to afford to and be prepared to, pay more for their properties.

Overall, by focussing your research on what those often overlooked more affluent owner-occupiers are doing, you may just find an investment that outperforms the market and delivers strong value and growth over the long term.

About Brett Warren
Brett Warren is Director of Metropole Properties Brisbane and uses his two decades of property investment experience to advise clients how to grow, protect and pass on their build their wealth through property.
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