First published 14 Oct 2026, 12:29pm
The home at 34 Inverway Cct, Farrar, is for rent for $1200 per week. Picture: realestate.com.au
Darwin rents have surged almost 14 per cent in the past year with tenants now paying $4680 more annually, as the NT capital records the strongest rent price growth in the country.
The latest realestate.com.au Rental Report revealed Darwin’s median weekly rent hit a fresh peak of $740 in September, up 5.7 per cent for the quarter and 13.8 per cent for the year.
Report author and realestate.com.au senior economic analyst, Megan Lieu said Darwin renters were paying an additional $4680 per year, compared to September 2025.
“Zuccoli ($850 per week) was the most expensive suburb for Darwin renters in September, while Gray ($610 per week) was the most affordable,” she said.
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Megan Lieu, realestate.com.au senior economic analyst. Picture: Supplied
The report showed Darwin unit rent prices increased 3.5 per cent in the September quarter to a median of $673, while house rents were up 2.6 per cent to a median of $800.
Annually, unit rents shot up 14.1 per cent and house rents increased 11.1 per cent.
Darwin had the third highest median rental price of all capital cities in September, sitting behind Sydney, at $800 per week, and Perth ($750), and ahead of Brisbane ($700), Canberra ($635), Adelaide ($630) and Melbourne and Hobart ($600).
Rent prices in regional NT held flat across the September quarter, but were up 5.8 per cent compared to a year ago, hitting a new peak of $650 per week.
Median house rents in regional NT were up 12.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 21.7 per cent year-on-year to $730 per week.
The property at 32 Charles St, Stuart Park, is for rent for $770 per week. Picture: realestate.com.au
Regional NT unit rents held steady across the September quarter and were up 4.7 per cent in the past year to a median of $450.
Darwin also recorded the biggest vacancy growth of all markets, up 0.6 percentage points in the September quarter to 1.5 per cent.
While in regional NT the vacancy rate crept up 0.2 percentage points in the September quarter to 1.2 per cent.
Melbourne and Canberra recorded the highest capital city vacancy rates, at 1.9 per cent, followed by Sydney (1.7%), Darwin (1.5%), Brisbane (1.1%), Adelaide (1.0%), and Perth and Hobart (0.9%).
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