Rental Yield Calculator

One above the median for the place and the property type, so start from the medians rather than a national rule of thumb. On the suburbs this site publishes with both a bond-data rent and a sales median (as at 30 September 2026), the median gross house yield is 2.9% in Melbourne, 4.3% in regional Victoria, 3.6% in Brisbane and 4.8% in regional Queensland; unit medians run higher, 4.3% in Melbourne and 5.2% in Brisbane. A house yield above the upper quartile for its market (3.4% in Melbourne, 4.2% in Brisbane) is high, and usually means a low price in a small market rather than a bargain. Whether a yield is good for you comes down to the net figure after costs and the rate on your loan, which the calculator above works out.

For a house in a capital city, yes. On the suburbs this site publishes (as at 30 September 2026) the median gross house yield is 2.9% in Melbourne and 3.6% in Brisbane, and three quarters of Melbourne suburbs sit below 3.4%. For a unit it is ordinary: the unit medians are 4.3% in Melbourne and 5.2% in Brisbane. In regional Victoria (4.3%) and regional Queensland (4.8%) it is about the going rate. After council rates, insurance, management and maintenance, 4.5% gross is about 2.7% net on the worked example's costs, so check the net figure and your loan rate before calling it good.

It is a middling house yield for a capital city and a low one anywhere else. On this site's figures (as at 30 September 2026) 3.5% sits above the median gross house yield in Melbourne (2.9%) and just below Brisbane's (3.6%), but below the regional medians (4.3% in regional Victoria, 4.8% in regional Queensland) and below every unit median in the table. On the worked example's costs, 3.5% gross is about 1.8% net, so the case for buying at that yield rests on capital growth, and once a loan is added the property is usually cash-flow negative.

Not for a house in Melbourne, where it is about the going rate: on the suburbs this site publishes with both a bond-data rent and a sales median (as at 30 September 2026), the median gross house yield is 2.9% in Melbourne and 3.6% in Brisbane. Against the rest of the table it is low: below Brisbane's median, below the regional medians (4.3% in regional Victoria, 4.8% in regional Queensland) and well below every unit median, the lowest of which is 4.3%. On the worked example's costs, 3% gross is about 1.3% net, so the return at that yield has to come from capital growth, and once a loan is added it is usually cash-flow negative; the calculator above shows by how much each week.

That a year's rent is 7% of the purchase price, before any costs: on the worked example's $600,000 house that is $42,000 a year, or about $808 a week. On this site's figures that is high: on the suburbs with both a bond-data rent and a sales median (as at 30 September 2026), the median gross house yield is 2.9% in Melbourne and 3.6% in Brisbane, and 7% is above the upper quartile of every area in the table: even in regional Queensland, which has the highest, three quarters of suburbs yield less than 6.4%. A yield that high usually means a low price in a small market rather than a bargain, so check the sales count and the rent history on the suburb's page. On the worked example's costs, 7% gross is about 4.9% net.

Rental yield is the annual return on a property investment expressed as a percentage of its value. A higher yield means greater income relative to the property's cost. It is one of the key metrics investors use to compare investment properties.

Gross rental yield is simply the annual rental income divided by the purchase price, expressed as a percentage. Net rental yield factors in all ongoing costs (council rates, insurance, property management, maintenance, etc.) and is calculated against the full cost base (purchase price plus buying costs). Net yield gives a more realistic picture of your actual return.

Cash flow is the money left over after all expenses (including loan repayments) are paid from rental income. A positively geared property generates cash flow surplus each week. A negatively geared property costs more to hold than it earns in rent, the shortfall is often offset against other income for tax purposes.

Key ongoing costs include council rates, water rates, landlord insurance, property management fees (typically 7 to 10% of rent in most states), maintenance and repairs allowance (commonly 0.5 to 1% of property value per year), strata levies if applicable, and land tax if applicable. Purchase costs include stamp duty, legal/conveyancing fees, and building inspection fees.

It depends on your strategy and life stage. Younger investors with stable salary income often prioritise capital growth (lower-yielding capital-city properties) and lean on negative gearing. Income-focused investors approaching retirement often prioritise yield over growth (regional or high-yield-suburb properties) for cash flow predictability. The right answer depends on your tax position, time horizon, and risk tolerance.