Living in Carlton, Melbourne

Monthly rent in AUD ($). First-hand contracts come straight from the landlord or housing company. Second-hand contracts are sublets, and they usually cost more.

Within AffordWhere's Melbourne dataset, a one-bedroom here averages about $2,400/month — close to the city median, and mid-priced of the 9 areas we track. Two-bedrooms run $2,700 - $3,200/month and three-bedrooms $3,400 - $4,000/month on second-hand contracts. At 10 minutes to the center by tram, it sits about as central as most Melbourne areas in the set. On safety it rates 4/5, among the lower-rated in the city. Based on its rent, commute, and the university, italian-dining, heritage tags, it may suit renters weighing rent against commute.

Weighing options? For cheaper rent, see Footscray.

Rent figures reflect official statistics compiled January 2026. See data sources.

OpenStreetMap maps Stop 112: Lygon Street as the nearest tram stop, La Mama Square as nearby green space and King & Godfree as the nearest supermarket around the Carlton reference point. A school and a pharmacy are also mapped within walking distance. It also shows a large number of cafés and restaurants mapped within about 700m of that point.

Amenity data from OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). The extracted amenity dataset is published under the same license.

How much is rent in Carlton, Melbourne?

A 1-bedroom apartment in Carlton costs $2,200 - $2,600/month (second-hand contract) or $2,000 - $2,400/month (first-hand). A 2-bedroom ranges from $2,700 - $3,200/month, and a 3-bedroom from $3,400 - $4,000/month.

Is Carlton safe for expats?

Carlton has a safety rating of 4/5 (Safe) on our scale. That is one of the higher ratings on the 1-5 scale; as always, check specific streets and visit at different times before signing a lease.

How long is the commute from Carlton to Melbourne center?

The commute from Carlton to Melbourne city center takes approximately 10 minutes by tram.

What is Carlton like to live in?

University of Melbourne precinct. Lygon Street Italian dining, Carlton Gardens, and heritage terraces. Student and academic hub. In our data it is tagged as university, italian-dining, heritage.