The Top 10 Cheapest Suburbs in Canberra 

The Australian Capital Territory comprises the city of Canberra – capital to both the country and the territory – together with the outlying suburbs that surround this city. Canberra houses the Australian seat of government and, as a result, many public servants stay in and around this part of Australia.

Living in Canberra itself, however, is often unaffordable to people looking to expand their portfolio by investing in property here. The suburbs surrounding Canberra offer prospective property buyers an opportunity to acquire property relatively close to the city at prices that are more appealing and within the reach of people who would otherwise not be able to invest in a home here.

Aussie Home Loans and CoreLogic’s most affordable suburbs for housing report reveals the Canberran suburbs where it is cheapest to buy property, and you’d be surprised at how little you can get a decent house for here.

Scroll down to see the top 10 cheapest suburbs in Canberra in 2019.

1) Taylor

Formerly a part of the 1,594-hectare rural property called Gold Creek, development of the suburb of Taylor in the Australian Capital Territory commenced in 2017, and is still on-going. This suburb of Canberra takes its name from magazine publisher and Australia’s first female architect, Florence M. Taylor, and is located 16 kilometres from Canberra’s centre, and approximately 4 kilometres from the Gungahlin Town Centre.

Flanking established suburbs like Ngunnawal, Casey and Moncrieff, this community is being developed to be reminiscent of a traditional suburb in the nation’s capital, with a wide range of blocks set against the backdrop of this part of the country’s natural wonder.

As this suburb is new and developing, with plenty of amenities, sporting fields and the Margaret Hendry Primary School serving the communities needs, property in this part of Canberra is highly affordable, with homes going for a median price of $364,270. 

2) Belconnen 

The residential areas of Emu Ridge and Ginninderra Heights, the suburb of Belconnen shares its name with the larger district in which it is located. Belconnen is located approximately 13 kilometres from the nation and Australian Capital Territory’s capital city. Belconnen boasts well-developed infrastructure, including a major shopping centre in the region, the Belconnen Mall, together with a number of other retailers and service providers.

This commercial centre also houses the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Three bus stations offer public transport options for Belconnen’s close to 7,000 residents, and the Lake Ginninderra College takes care of their children’s secondary schooling needs.

Belconnen’s property offering is a lot cheaper than what is available in Canberra, and houses here go for a median price of $403,288.

3) Phillip

Right in the centre of the Woden Valley district in which it is located, the suburb of Phillip was established in 1966, and is now the place close to 3,000 people here call home. Residents often refer to it as the heart of Woden, and many of the district’s key facilities, including the Westfield Woden Shopping Centre and Canberra’s tallest commercial office building, Lovett Tower, are in Phillip.

The Swinger Hill housing estate, named after surveyor Louis Walter Henry Swinger, contains a number of heritage-listed properties, and some of the houses here exhibit significant twentieth century architecture. The Phillip Enclosed Oval and Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre tend to the sporting needs of the community, and the Canberra Institute of Technology, also located here, gives the suburb an air of excitement, which makes it popular among young professionals.

To buy a house in Phillip is relatively affordable, and the median price of property in this suburb is $447,017.

4) Charnwood

The suburb of Charnwood is located within the bounds of the Belconnen district, and was named after the Forest of Charnwood in England, with the suburb officially gazetted on 9 September 1971. Young professionals and families make up most of the close to 3,000 residents here, and the Charnwood-Dunlop Primary School, Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School and Brindabella Christian College Charnwood Campus take care of the educational needs of this community. The Charnwood centre shopping area provide a variety of retail options to this suburb and the ones surrounding it, and Canberra’s CBD is only half-an-hour’s drive away.

The affordability of property in Charnwood makes it attractive to prospective buyers who want to stay close to the Canberra CBD, and the median price of homes here is $460,103.

5) Holt

About 12 kilometres north-west of Canberra, the well established suburb of Holt, named after the former Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt. Lovers of the great outdoors will rave about Holt’s impressive views of the Brindabella Ranges, and the Molongolo River and Ginninderra Falls are just around the corner. Thanks to its family-friendly atmosphere and amenities close by, along with the schools in the suburb, Holt is a popular choice for families and young professionals looking to live in rustic, natural surroundings.

Property in Holt is affordable to first-time buyers and investors, with a median house price of $477,137.

6) Richardson

The suburb of Richardson in Australia’s Capital Territory is named after author Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, and the streets here are also named after literary icons, and especially female writers. Richardson’s story starts in 1975, and this Canberran suburb has burgeoned into the home of just more than 3,000 residents since its inception.

People who live in Richardson today praise the neighbourly spirit of the suburb, and the many green spaces that residents can escape to. Richardson Primary School is a leader in information and communications technology education, and was the first school in Australia to install interactive whiteboards. Several bus routes service the area for easy access to the city.

Buying property in Richardson is more affordable than buying in Canberra itself, which is about 16 kilometres away. You can buy a house here for a median price of $499,911.

7) Ngunnawal

Located within the district of Gungahlin, and about 12 kilometres north-west of Canberra, the suburb of Ngunnawal was established in 1992. Two local schools and two local shopping centres are available to Ngunnawal’s 10,500 residents, and indigenous Australian culture is commemorated and celebrated in place names all over the suburb. Keep an eye out for the Gold Creek Homestead, a historically significant 140-year-old stone and brick building just off Gungahlin Drive.

Residential property makes up the greater part of Ngunnawal, and you are currently able to acquire property here for a median price of $515,263.

8) Isabella Plains

Green and picturesque, Isabella Plains forms a part of the district of Tuggeranong, and is a little more than 20 kilometres from the Canberra CBD. Four government schools and a private school tend to local children’s educational needs, and a small shopping centre with all the basic amenities serve the suburb’s just over 4,000 residents. Isabella Plains was established in 1975 and named after the daughter of this region’s first colonial governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane.

The median price of property in Isabella Plains is among the lowest in Canberra, and you’ll pay around $518,111 for a home here.

9) Higgins

The suburb of Higgins forms a part of the Belconnen district of Canberra, and is approximately 18 kilometres from the nation’s capital city. Large block and opportunities to renovate existing properties – this suburb was first established in 1968 – provide great investment opportunities and a chance to create a dream home in dreamy surroundings at a fraction of the price you’d pay in nearby Canberra.

Chances are that Higgins will become even more popular among property buyers due to its great proximity to the city and nearby Belconnen, and are available at a current median price of $518,294.

10) Kambah

Looking at the bordering Murrimbidgee River corridor and surrounding Brindabella ridges, it’s hard to imagine the suburb of Kambah is only a 10-minute drive from the city lights of Canberra. This scenic suburb differs from many others in greater Canberra due to its detached single-storey suburban houses and alternative neighbourhood design.

Kambah was first established as a suburb of Canberra in 1974, but would blossom into Canberra’s largest suburb in the years that followed. Close to 15,000 people live in Kambah today, and the suburb has grown with its population, providing ample educational options, shopping facilities and other amenities like a health centre and service station. Quiet and rustic surrounds make Kambah a great suburb for young families, students, retirees and nature lovers, and the diversity of this part of Canberra is regularly hailed by residents.

Property in Kambah is within the grasp of young and first-time buyers, and the median house price here is an affordable $519,560.

Conclusion

Perfect Agent’s expert recommendations make it easy to find an affordable property in greater Canberra. By simply completing a quick survey to assess your exact needs, we are able to recommend a number of agents that may just be the perfect fit for you.

Intimidated by Canberra’s property prices? Let Perfect Agent recommend a real estate agent that can help you find a budget-friendly option for you and your family today.