Only around 4% of Australians live in high-rise apartments of four storeys or more. That figure has barely shifted despite government policy pushing for higher density since the 1990s. For buyers and renters, the gap between what’s promoted and what actually works day-to-day matters more than any urban planning target.
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This article is general information only and does not constitute professional advice. For your specific situation, consult a qualified professional.
That 4% tells you something important. Most Australians still choose low-density housing even when apartments are available. High-rise living works well for a specific group — younger renters without children who value location over square metres. But the research shows that over 60% of current high-rise residents eventually want to move somewhere bigger. That turnover matters whether you are buying or renting. A high-rise apartment might suit you for five years but feel cramped by year ten.
Plenty of buyers jump in because of the views, the security, or the shorter commute. They don’t always factor in what happens when their life changes. High-density living in Australian cities comes with trade-offs that aren’t obvious from a sales brochure. Here’s what you actually need to know.
Those four points capture the main patterns I see in the data. The one that catches most people off guard is turnover. You buy thinking you’ll stay for a decade, but the typical high-rise resident moves almost twice as often as a detached-home owner. That churn means you need to plan resale from day one.
When you buy into a high-rise, you are buying into a strata scheme. That affects everything from your monthly costs to whether you can install a clothes dryer. Understanding the local market conditions for apartments only gets you so far — the strata rules shape your daily life.
The full cost picture: what the purchase price doesn’t tell you
Buyers compare the purchase price of an apartment against a house and think they are saving money. But the ongoing costs in a high-rise are structured differently. Strata levies, special levies, and restrictions on short-term rental can shift the total cost picture significantly. The table below shows how the main factors stack up.
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| Factor | High-Rise Apartment | Detached House |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price (central location) | Lower — trade dwelling size for location | Higher — more land, often further out |
| Ongoing ownership costs | Strata levies + council rates + insurance | Council rates + building insurance + maintenance |
| Special levies | Common — can reach $10,000+ per owner | Rare — major repairs are borrower’s choice |
| Space per dollar | Less — larger apartments aimed at luxury buyers | More — especially for families |
| Security & building access | 24/7 — intercom, fob, often concierge | Variable — depends on neighbourhood |
| Outdoor private space | Balcony (often small) or none | Backyard or garden |
| Resale buyer pool | Narrower — limited to renters and downsizers | Broader — families, investors, upgraders |
What the table doesn’t show is how quickly the balance can tip. A building with a leaky facade or a lift replacement can trigger a special levy that wipes out several years of savings from choosing an apartment over a house. I’d always ask for the last five years of strata meeting minutes before signing anything. That tells you which repairs have been kicked down the road.
There is also the question of who you can sell to. High-rise residents are more likely to be renters, younger, born overseas, and without children. That is a narrow demographic. If the local job market shifts or rental demand softens, the buyer pool shrinks faster than it would for a house in a family suburb. That is worth weighing against the government incentives available for property buyers in your state.
Where buyers and renters get tripped up
Buying for space you can’t change
The research shows that over 60% of high-rise residents want to move specifically to increase the size of their home. That tells you that most people underestimate how quickly their space needs grow. A one-bedroom apartment might feel generous when you move in alone. Add a partner, a child, or a home-office requirement, and it shrinks fast. Larger apartments in Australian high-rises are rare and priced for the luxury market, so the typical upgrade path is to leave the building entirely. That means you face selling costs, stamp duty on the next place, and the disruption of moving — often within five years of purchase.
Skimming the strata report
Strata documents are dense. Buyers often glance at the levy amount and miss the sinking fund forecast, the building-defects history, and the minutes of recent meetings. A building with an underfunded sinking fund might look cheap until a special levy of $15,000 per lot lands in your letterbox. The mechanical side of this: you request the strata records through your conveyancer, review the last three years of AGM minutes, check the capital works fund balance, and note any outstanding legal disputes. If the owners’ corporation has flagged major structural work without a funding plan, that is a red flag you should not ignore. For specific legal questions about strata obligations, you can run them past a property law specialist before you commit.
Assuming all high-rises are safe by default
Building standards vary enormously across different decades. Cladding risks, fire-sprinkler coverage, balcony safety barriers, and window-locking mechanisms are not uniform. The tragic death of a child who fell from the 27th floor of a high-rise in Cebu City in 2024 is a reminder that balcony and window safety depends on design choices that may not meet current Australian standards. In Australia, each state has its own building certification process, and not all high-rises built before recent code updates comply with modern safety requirements. A building surveyor can check whether windows have restricted openings and whether balcony balustrades meet the 1.2-metre minimum height. Do not take the real estate agent’s word for it.
How to pick a high-rise apartment you won’t regret
Match the floor plan to your next five years, not just today
The single biggest mistake in the data is buying for your current life stage alone. If you expect your household to grow or your working patterns to change, a one-bedroom apartment without a second living area or a flexible layout will force a move. Look for apartments with a separate study nook that can convert to a small bedroom, or a two-bedroom layout where you can use the second room for guests and later for a child. The resale pool for one-bedroom apartments is narrower, so if you do buy small, make sure the building and location have strong rental demand. That gives you a fallback if you need to move but cannot sell quickly.
Read the strata documents like a detective
This is where the real condition of the building shows up. Request the following in writing from the vendor or their agent: the last three years of annual general meeting minutes, the current sinking fund forecast, the building’s depreciation schedule, and any outstanding insurance claims. Look for repeated mentions of water ingress, lift breakdowns, or disputes between owners. Cross-check the sinking fund balance against the building’s age and the condition of common areas. A building with a healthy sinking fund and no special levies in the past five years is a safer bet than one with low levies and a history of emergency repairs. If the documents are incomplete or the owners’ corporation refuses to share them, that is a warning in itself. A real estate lawyer can review the strata records and flag anything unusual before you exchange contracts.
Check what you cannot change
Strata by-laws restrict everything from pet ownership to balcony storage to short-term letting. Ask for a copy of the by-laws before you buy. If you plan to rent the apartment out, check whether the building has a cap on investor-owned lots — some strata schemes limit the percentage of rental units to maintain owner-occupier majority. That affects your exit strategy if you need to move and keep the property as an investment. Also check for any pending or recent building-improvement notices from the local council. A building that has been ordered to replace non-compliant cladding may be facing years of disruption and large levies.
What’s coming: building standards and strata reforms
Australian state governments are increasingly tightening building certification for high-rise residential towers. The 2018 Grenfell-style cladding audits in New South Wales and Victoria have led to remediation orders that can cost owners tens of thousands. Newer buildings designed to the National Construction Code 2022 have stricter fire-safety and energy-efficiency requirements, but older buildings may not. Separately, several states are reviewing strata laws to improve transparency around sinking funds, special levies, and dispute resolution. These changes could make high-rise ownership more predictable, but they could also increase compliance costs. Factor the age of the building into your decision — a building less than ten years old is more likely to meet current standards but may still have latent defects that take time to surface.
Frequently asked questions about high-rise living in Australia
Is high-rise living cheaper than a house in the long run? ▾
Can I get a mortgage for a high-rise apartment easily? ▾
What happens if the strata levies increase sharply? ▾
Are high-rise apartments safe for children? ▾
Can I rent out my high-rise apartment if I move? ▾
Do high-rise apartments hold their value better in some cities? ▾
What the policy push versus actual demand tells us
Australian governments have spent three decades promoting high-rise living as the solution to urban sprawl and infrastructure costs. Yet only 4% of the population lives in them, and most residents eventually leave because the apartments are too small. That mismatch suggests that high-rise, as it exists today, works best as a transitional housing option — not a long-term home for most people. Buyers who go in with their eyes open about strata costs, safety checks, and their own future space needs are the ones who avoid getting stuck. The rest tend to join that 60% who are already looking for the exit.
Remember: this article is general information only. For advice on your specific situation, speak to a qualified professional.
If this was useful, you might also want to read Renovate or Relocate: Critical Questions Every Aussie Homeowner Must Ask.
Sources and Further Reading
High-Density Living: The Future of Australian Cities or a Recipe for Disaster? — Explores broader urban-planning questions around apartment living and community design.
Luxury Property Trends in Australia: What the Super-Rich Are Buying — Context on the high-end apartment market and what drives demand at the top.
The Times Australia (2024). The government wants more of us living in high-rises — here’s why Australians don’t want to. 🔗
The Conversation (2024). The government wants more of us living in high-rises — here’s why Australians don’t want to. 🔗
Philstar Global (2024). The pros and cons of high-rise living. 🔗
