What is the cheapest suburb to rent a room in Melbourne in 2026?

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Melbourne's rental market is heavily price-stratified by distance from the CBD. These are the most affordable suburbs for room rentals in 2026, along with their transport connections.

Most affordable suburbs for room rentals in Melbourne in 2026:

Western suburbs:

Sunshine — AUD $180–$260/week; Sunbury/Werribee train line, 20 min to CBD; one of the best value options in Melbourne
Footscray — AUD $220–$300/week; West Werribee train line, 10 min to CBD; rapidly developing, excellent food scene
Laverton / Altona North — AUD $170–$240/week; more affordable but limited transport

Northern suburbs:

Reservoir — AUD $200–$280/week; Mernda/Hurstbridge train line, 25 min to CBD; large rental stock
Thomastown — AUD $190–$260/week; Mernda line; quieter residential feel
Epping — AUD $180–$260/week; South Morang train line; popular with international students near RMIT and La Trobe

South-eastern suburbs:

Dandenong — AUD $180–$250/week; Pakenham/Cranbourne train line; very affordable, diverse community
Noble Park — AUD $180–$260/week; Dandenong corridor; good value for couples or working professionals

The commute tradeoff: Outer suburbs save AUD $70–$120/week in rent but may add 30–60 minutes to your daily commute. Calculate the full cost — including Myki transport fares — before deciding purely on rent price.