David Gardiner

Journalist

Latest analysis shows what many home renters already know – rents have skyrocketed in Douglas in the past year, putting further pressure on the rising cost of living.

Figures by leading property researcher SuburbTrends show across the Port Douglas-Daintree market, rents for houses have risen $100 per week, around 20 per cent.

The increase for a unit in the area was slightly less, at around $90.

The figures further confirm that rising accommodation costs – whether they be rent or mortgage payments – are the biggest factor adding to household cost of living pressures. 

The median house rent price has now reached $750 in Port Douglas, while in Mossman the median was $520 per week.

Unit median rentals are $480 in Port Douglas and $300 in Mossman. Median rent across Douglas-Daintree has risen by 23 per cent.

Against the rent increases, there is also a hint of positive news – vacancy rates in Port Douglas-Daintree which have been at all-time lows, have started to come back up again.

The rate locally is now 1.9 per cent which, while that doesn’t seem much – is higher than what is was a year ago, just 0.2 per cent. The statistical area of Port Douglas – Daintree was number 43 on list of 50 nationally for higher vacancy rates: