Investing in Cairns: 2025 Rental Trends & Insights

As one of regional Queensland’s high-growth markets, Cairns has come a long way from its roots as one of North Queensland’s main tourist destinations. Cairns is now home to a bustling local economy and rising population.

Over the past 5 years (as of March 2025) the median house price in Cairns has grown by 53% from $423,250 in 2020 to $650,000 today. Combined with year-on-year growth in rental prices for both houses and units, the Cairns market appeals to investors who have been turned away by surging property prices in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

For those looking for what the Cairns market has to offer in terms of investment potential, this article covers recent 2025 data on property prices, rental trends, and how these insights tie into future growth opportunities for the region. 

Cairns Property Market Insights 

The Cairns property market is still riding the momentum from the real estate surge between 2020-2023. The rental market is still very tight, with a vacancy rate of 0.76%. 

Over the past year, since November 2025, house listings in Cairns increased by 12.09% to a median price of $695,000. Units in Cairns experienced an annual increase of 10.61% to a median price of $375,000.

The rental market shows strong demand, with houses achieving a yield of approximately 4.78% (with a median rent of $640/week) and units 6.24% (median rent $450/week).

The record low vacancy levels, strong double-digit percentage growth in listing prices in addition to strong rental yields, reflect a sustained supply pressure and growing investor interest in the area.

High-Growth Cairns Suburbs for Investment 

Cairns has a number of high-growth suburbs showing double-digit annual price growth, notably Manoora, Manunda, Palm Cove, and Edmonton. 

Manoora property prices

• Median house price: $484,000 (annual growth of 16.7% since November 2024)   
• Median unit price: $300,000 (annual growth of 20.5% since November 2024)       
• House rental yield: 5.58%
• Unit rental yield: 7.28%

Manunda property prices

• Median house price: $550,000 (annual growth of 15.3% since November 2024)   
• Median unit price: $246,500 (annual growth of 23.8% since November 2024)       
• House rental yield: 4.96%
• Unit rental yield: 8.43% 

Palm Cove property prices

• Median house price: $1,347,500 (annual growth of 12.3% since November 2024)
• Median unit price: $582,500 (annual growth of 30.8% since November 2024)       
• House rental yield: 3.08%
• Unit rental yield: 4.46%

Edmonton property prices

• Median house price: $589,000 (annual growth of 17.8% since November 2024)   
• House rental yield: 5.29%

Factors Driving Rental Demand in Cairns 

With over a third of its population living in rental accommodation (32.5%), there is a consistent rental demand in Cairns. 

Rental demand in Cairns is driven largely by middle-aged professionals and families looking for a sea change. Of its 178,104 residents, 41.3% are aged 30-59 years. This demographic is likely to have consistent income, making them more likely to be able to afford long-term rental arrangements.

0.76% is a low vacancy rate that indicates an undersupply of new housing that places pressure on housing and rental prices. The high median weekly rent of $640 has also experienced an annual increase of 8.47%, following a trend of year-on-year rental growth. 

Future Investment Opportunities in Cairns

The Cairns real estate market is only getting started. There’s expected continued growth into 2026 as a result of major upcoming development projects including the Mount Peter Priority Development Area (PDA). The Mount Peter PDA is planned to provide over 18,500 homes for 42,500 residents and is facilitated by the local council to fast-track development approvals.

With new buckets of housing development and new jobs on the horizon, investors can stake their claim on the Cairns property market with an investment property. Investment builds with a house and land package offer a cost-effective way to achieve buy and build in Cairns in a short timeframe, with excellent rental potential. 

As a trusted investment builder in North Queensland, Builder Direct has a range of house and land packages in Cairns that have been selected on market data and local factors to provide strong returns for investors.