Rent in Waterloo and Zetland (2017)
The median new lease in 2017 was $1,100 a week in January–September 2026, from 5,154 leases lodged with NSW Fair Trading. That is 38% above the Sydney median of $800, making it the 14th most expensive of 218 Sydney postcodes.
Rent by type of home
Houses lease for a median $1,175 a week here and units for $1,100. Only home types with at least 10 new leases in January–September 2026 are shown.
| Home | Median rent ($/wk) | New leases |
|---|---|---|
| Studio unit | $795 | 16 |
| 1-bedroom unit | $860 | 1831 |
| 2-bedroom unit | $1,200 | 2663 |
| 3-bedroom unit | $1,600 | 479 |
| 1-bedroom house | $837 | 30 |
| 2-bedroom house | $1,195 | 48 |
| 3-bedroom house | $1,312 | 28 |
| 4-bedroom house | $1,600 | 10 |
| 3-bedroom townhouse | $1,400 | 11 |
How rent has changed since 2021
Rent on a new lease here rose 82% in five years, from $605 a week in January–September 2021 to $1,100 in January–September 2026, faster than the Sydney-wide rise of 60%. Over the past year it rose 4%, against a 7% rise across Sydney.
How much of a local wage the rent takes
A year of rent at the median takes 59% of one average local wage of $97,628, compared with 46% across Sydney. That is the 16th heaviest burden of 218 Sydney postcodes, above the city average. Housing costs above 30% of income are widely treated as housing stress; a household with two average wages would spend about 29%.
Wage: average salary and wages of all residents of 2017 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 4,729 bonds refunded in 2017 in January–September 2026, 56% went back to the tenant in full and 9% went entirely to the landlord or agent. Across Sydney the figures are 63% and 12%, so tenants here are less likely than average to get their whole bond back (rank 164 of 214, where 1 is the highest full-refund rate).
The median bond was held for 384 days, about 13 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
2017 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $1,100 | +82% | 59% | 56% |
| 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
- 2011 Elizabeth Bay and Kings Cross$750
- 2015 Alexandria and Beaconsfield$870
- 2016 Redfern$819
- 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.