Rents may be higher in Perth’s more affluent suburbs but according to the Carrie Bradshaw Index, renters in Cottesloe, Wembley and West Leederville have it the easiest. Coined by analysts at The Economist, the Carrie Bradshaw index explains how some renters — like its namesake in the Sex and the City series — can continue living large amid the cost-of-living crisis. Ray White economist Nerida Conisbee said the index — which assesses the cost of renting a unit against local tenants’ incomes — shows those in Cottesloe, West Leederville and Wembley pay 25 per cent of their salary on their lease.
The same index shows Perth’s battlers, including students, welfare recipients and the working poor, are paying a disproportionately high price amid the housing crisis. Renters in Girrawheen, as well as student-strong Wilson and Murdoch, fork out about half their income on their rent. “(In) Cottesloe .
. . people with very high incomes live there and in comparison to these incomes, rents are quite affordable,” Ms Conisbee said.
“This is consistent with the lifestyle of Carrie Bradshaw — likely earning quite a bit of money — and renting in an expensive city with a lot of apartments, (like) New York. “For Australia, the Carrie Bradshaw index holds true.” Caporn Young Liliana Talemaitoga said the index was reflected across her own listings, with the tenants she had placed in Perth’s wealthier suburbs paying 23 per cent of their income on rent, compared to 36 per.
