An 18-year-old from Cairns with about $30,000 in the bank wants to move to Perth, rent a room for $300 to $450 a week and find work as a construction labourer. With Perth rents at record highs, is that a realistic plan? Locals who have done something similar say yes, as long as the savings are treated as a safety net and not spending money.
The teenager, who lived in Perth about four years ago and still has friends here, said they had $22,000 saved now and expected to have around $30,000 within two months. They plan to line up a rental before making the move.
What renting in Perth costs right now
The numbers explain why people are nervous. The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) reported on 19 October 2026 that Perth's median weekly rent was $750 for a house and $700 for a unit at the end of the September quarter. The vacancy rate fell to 1.7 per cent, and the median rental was leased within two weeks.
"Rent prices are at record highs and rental affordability is at a record low." - Rob Mandanici, REIWA President
A whole unit on that budget would be a stretch. A room in a share house is a different story, and that is where locals said the plan makes sense. One said a budget of $300 to $450 would "pretty easily" get an ensuite room in a share house, and that sharing is also a good way to make friends in a new city.
Photo: Calistemon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo.
The share house worry
The teenager's biggest concern wasn't money. It was ending up with "weird blokes" in the house who might steal their things. Locals agreed that picking the right house matters more than the price.
"Money will be fine, just gotta find the right sharehouse, some dodgy [people] out there." - Perth local
Meeting housemates in person before signing up, getting a written agreement and checking how the bond is held are all worth doing. WA Consumer Protection's Renting a home guide covers the rights of tenants and lodgers, which can differ depending on whether you're on the lease or renting a room from the head tenant.
Work: construction is slower, hospitality is the fallback
On jobs, the advice was mixed. One local said the construction industry is "bogged down" at the moment, while another said jobs are a bit scarce but can be found, and that hospitality is always a fallback "until something pops up you want".
Several people suggested setting aside part of the savings as a fixed budget for the first few months.
"Set yourself a budget, 10k let's say, be careful and you should be able to give yourself a few months on that without landing a job." - Perth local
That same person said they moved to Perth with $3,000 and now own a house and a car, though it took a decade. Another said they moved at 19 with $20,000, went a few months without work by choice and still have savings left.
Or stay home a bit longer?
Not everyone said go now. One local said that if the teenager could keep living at home rent-free, they should do that for as long as possible and keep saving. Most, though, were encouraging.
"If you're 18 and already got 22k saved I think you have some pretty tough gumption." - Perth local
Photo: Calistemon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo.
Sources: REIWA; WA Consumer Protection; comments from Perth locals.
Main photo: Perth skyline from South Perth, by Calistemon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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