Published Date: 30 Sep 2025

Author: Phoebe Lee

Are you confused with Share House Ads?

One says $190, another says $270 — what's going on?

Moving and money are two of life’s biggest stress triggers. Combine them, and overwhelm is guaranteed.

Some ads say “bills included.” Others say “plus gas and water, split electricity.” Some don’t mention bills at all.

You’re left frustrated, just trying to answer one question: How much will I actually pay?

What looked like a good deal can turn into a budgeting nightmare — or worse, a surprise power bill lands months later for a house you barely lived in.

That’s why I pulled out listing data from Flatmates.com.au — probably the most structured share house data available — and analysed it to see what really drives rent in the Elizabeth region (Elizabeth Park, Elizabeth Downs, Elizabeth Grove and nearby suburbs such as Craigmore, Elizabeth and Elizabeth North)

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Here’s what I found pricing wise in the Elizabeth Region:

• Half the market sits in the Budget range ($180–200 per week bills inclusive).
• About 30% of listings are Premium ($230–280 per week bills inclusive), where you may see better house condition, extra bathrooms, or fewer housemates.
• 15% of the listings are mid-range ($200-$230 per week bills inclusive)
• A small slice (5%) pushes into Luxury ($280+ per week bills inclusive).

That means most options are in the ~$180–200 range, and only a few go into the luxury tier.

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📈What Pushes Rent Up

• Better condition → Clean, modern, well-kept homes cost more.
• Extra bathrooms → Add about $25/week.
• Fewer housemates → Sharing with 2–3 people is pricier than 5+ if house is in good condition as well.

📉What Pulls Rent Down

• Bigger, crowded houses → 5+ housemates means cheaper rooms (around $190/week bills inclusive) - except if the house is in good/very good condition which will push rent up.
• Average or poor condition → Below $220/week bills inclusive.

💡Simple rule: If you want more comfort and more privacy, expect to pay more. If you’re chasing the cheapest rent, expect to trade that off.

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⚡Bottom Line: What You Can Expect to Pay in Elizabeth

• Cheapest rooms → Around $190/week bills inclusive , usually in bigger houses (5+ rooms) with average or poor condition.
• Most common range → About $200/week bills inclusive, where half the market sits.
• Premium comfort → $250–280/week bills inclusive, typically for better-kept homes with extra bathrooms or fewer housemates.
• Luxury slice → Rare listings above $280/week bills inclusive, usually modern or recently renovated.

👉 Key takeaway: If you want the lowest rent, expect to trade off comfort and privacy. If you want a cleaner, smaller, or better-kept share house, budget closer to $250–280/week bills inclusive.

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Now I am going to break down each factor for you in more details.

Factor 1: House condition

🏠 Condition Matters

Better houses cost more — simple as that.

💡 Key Insight: Poor houses rent for around $190/week bills inclusive. Good to very good houses climb to $225–260/week bills inclusive.

(Note: ratings based on photos, not inspections.)

🚿 Factor 2: Bathrooms
A second bathroom usually means a higher rent.

💡 Key Insight: In Elizabeth, having two bathrooms typically adds about $25/week to the room price.

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👥 Factor 3: Density (Housemates & Numbers of Rooms)

Generally, the more housemates, the cheaper the rent — unless the house is in better condition, which can push the price up.

💡 Key Insight: 5-room share houses are priced around  ($190/week bills inclusive) when in poor condition whereas the same size share house in good condition can jump to $250/week bills inclusive.

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📍 Factor 4: Suburb Baseline

Local suburb rents set the floor for share house prices.

Put simply, if houses cost more to rent in a suburb, rooms in that suburb tend to cost more too.

For example, in Adelaide CBD (postcode 5000), a 3-bedroom house rents for around $725/week,and the average room rent (per flatmates.com.au) is $324/week. In Elizabeth Downs (postcode 5113), a 3-bedroom house is around $450/week, and the average room rent (per flatmates.com.au) drops to $189/week.

👉The higher the suburb’s house rent, the higher the share house room rent tends to be.

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📝 3 Simple Steps to Avoid Rent Surprises

So how do you cut through the swamp of confusing ads? Here’s a quick 3-step process to give you clarity and confidence before you move in:

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1. Flatmates.com.au - Cheaper Suburb FinderUse this "Cheaper Suburb Finder" to check the average room rent → to see the weekly average in your area. This gives you a baseline to check if rents fit your budget. Just remember: this number doesn’t show house condition, number of housemates, or whether bills are included — it’s only a starting point. You’ll still need to dig deeper with the next steps
2. Rate the house condition → Look at the photos and quickly rate it from 1–5 (1 =Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Average, 4 = Good, 5 = Very Good)
3. Inspect in person → Meet the landlord/housemates and ask: Do I feel comfortable with my new housemates, and with this house?

‍ ✅ Download the Share House Rent Checklist — your simple tool to compare ads, avoid surprise bills, and make the right move the first time.

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💡 Why This Matters

Moving and money are two of life’s biggest sources of stress. Combine them, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed.

On paper, $190 a week for room rent might look like a bargain. Or is it a trap? But if that cheap rent comes with surprise bills, unclear rules, or constant stress – leading to “I want to move again”, the real cost ends up much higher.

Because the true cost of renting isn’t just dollars — it’s your peace of mind, your time, and the quality of your daily life.

The best way to avoid overpaying in that sense? Know what you’re getting into upfront:

• Confirm if bills are included (and how they’re split).
• Inspect the house and ask if clear rules are in place for bills splitting and house expectations.
• Budget for extras if bills aren’t included.

👉 When you plan ahead, you don’t just save money — you avoid paying with your well-being. Or as I like to say: Move once, move right.

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Move once, move right — and use this checklist before you sign anything

Phoebe is the founder of Iris Property Management and a mother of three. With over adecade of experience managing share houses, she’s passionate about helping renters make smarter, stress-free choices. Outside of work, she enjoys reading non-fiction, running, and Pilates.