Strata Fee Affordability Calculator

Choose your mode — Owner-Occupier or Investor — and enter your housing costs and income. The calculator converts all costs to a common timeframe (monthly for owner-occupiers, annual for investors) so you can see the full picture at a glance.

For owner-occupiers, we calculate your total housing cost as a percentage of gross household income and apply the widely-used 30% housing stress threshold (ABS/Melbourne Institute benchmark) to give you an affordability rating: Comfortable, Manageable, Stretched, or Stressed.

For investors, we calculate net cash flow (rent minus all expenses), strata fees as a percentage of gross rent, net rental yield (if you enter the property value), and the break-even weekly rent needed to cover all holding costs. This helps you understand whether the property is positively or negatively geared.

• You're buying your first strata property and want to understand the full cost of ownership beyond the mortgage
• You're evaluating an investment property and need to know if strata fees will eat into your rental yield
• You want to budget your total monthly housing costs and check whether you're in “housing stress” territory
• You're comparing the total holding costs of different strata properties to find the best financial fit

Housing Stress Threshold (30% Rule)

The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines housing stress as spending more than 30% of gross household income on housing costs. This calculator uses four tiers: Comfortable (under 25%), Manageable (25–30%), Stretched (30–40%), and Stressed (over 40%).

Net Rental Yield

Annual net rental income (gross rent minus all expenses including strata fees, council rates, management fees, insurance, and mortgage interest) divided by the property purchase price, expressed as a percentage. A key metric for comparing investment properties.

Break-Even Rent

The minimum weekly rent you need to charge to cover all annual holding costs (strata fees, council rates, water, management fees, insurance, mortgage interest, and land tax). Below this figure, the property is negatively geared.

Strata Fees as a Holding Cost

Strata fees are often the second-largest recurring cost after your mortgage. Unlike council rates or water, strata fees can vary significantly between buildings depending on amenities, building age, and management quality — making them a critical factor in affordability analysis.