Guide
Best suburbs to invest in the Sunshine Coast: 5 affordable picks for 2026
Five suburbs in the Sunshine Coast where a typical house costs less than the local median of $1,350,000 and the rent gives one of the higher yields in the area. A shortlist to research, not a list to buy from.
By Mossy Taheri, licensed buyer’s agent · Updated
The short answer
Five affordable suburbs to research in the Sunshine Coast: Pacific Paradise, Nambour, Burnside, Palmview, Caloundra West. Each has a typical house price under $1,350,000. Palmview has had the strongest growth, about 13.2% a year over five years, and Pacific Paradise has the highest gross yield, about 3.9%.
The five suburbs at a glance
Houses, all bedroom sizes, to 31 October 2026. Growth figures are average yearly changes.
| Suburb | Typical house price | Weekly rent | Gross yield | Price growth (5 yrs, a year) | Rent growth (3 yrs, a year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Paradise Maroochy, near the airport | $1,041,152 | $790 | 3.9% | 8.6% | 6.1% |
| Nambour hinterland | $971,212 | $684 | 3.7% | 9.9% | 6.1% |
| Burnside hinterland, next to Nambour | $1,024,649 | $722 | 3.7% | 10.7% | 7.4% |
| Palmview southern growth area | $1,115,002 | $752 | 3.5% | 13.2% | 5.3% |
| Caloundra West southern Sunshine Coast | $1,080,095 | $719 | 3.5% | 9.6% | 6.6% |
Each suburb in brief
1. Pacific Paradise, Maroochy, near the airport
A small suburb near Sunshine Coast Airport and Mudjimba Beach, with the highest yield on this list. Check aircraft noise and flood overlays for the street.
Typical house price $1,041,152, rent about $790 a week (a gross yield of 3.9%). Prices grew about 8.6% a year over five years and 8.6% a year over ten; rents grew about 6.1% a year over three years.
2. Nambour, hinterland
The hinterland's main town, with Nambour General Hospital, its own shopping centre and a train line to Brisbane. The lowest-priced pick.
Typical house price $971,212, rent about $684 a week (a gross yield of 3.7%). Prices grew about 9.9% a year over five years and 10.1% a year over ten; rents grew about 6.1% a year over three years.
3. Burnside, hinterland, next to Nambour
A residential suburb on Nambour's western edge, with rents up about 7% a year over three years.
Typical house price $1,024,649, rent about $722 a week (a gross yield of 3.7%). Prices grew about 10.7% a year over five years and 10.3% a year over ten; rents grew about 7.4% a year over three years.
4. Palmview, southern growth area
A fast-growing master-planned area near the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, with the strongest 5-year growth on this list. Plenty of new homes are still being built.
Typical house price $1,115,002, rent about $752 a week (a gross yield of 3.5%). Prices grew about 13.2% a year over five years and 11.6% a year over ten; rents grew about 5.3% a year over three years.
5. Caloundra West, southern Sunshine Coast
Beside the large Caloundra South development, which brings new shops and schools but also new supply.
Typical house price $1,080,095, rent about $719 a week (a gross yield of 3.5%). Prices grew about 9.6% a year over five years and 9.9% a year over ten; rents grew about 6.6% a year over three years.
How we chose them
- Affordable: a typical house price below the median for the Sunshine Coast, $1,350,000 (Cotality, median house value, August 2026, reported by Sunshine Coast News).
- Reliable: only suburbs with enough sales and rentals to give dependable figures.
- Ranked on gross rental yield, then checked for price and rent growth so a high yield isn't simply a sign of falling values. 16 suburbs passed the first filters.
- Covers the Sunshine Coast itself. Smaller towns elsewhere in the state are on the regional list.
This is a shortlist for research, not a recommendation to buy in any of these suburbs. Past growth doesn’t predict future growth, and figures for a whole suburb hide big differences between streets and properties. General information only, not personal financial advice.
Before you buy in any of them
- Check the council's flood, bushfire and planning overlays for the street, not just the suburb.
- Look at the vacancy rate and how many rentals are listed, so you know tenants are there.
- Find out what's being built nearby: new estates and apartment blocks add supply and can slow growth.
- Get a building and pest inspection; many affordable suburbs have older homes.
- Run the numbers on the property itself, including interest, rates, insurance and management.
Our rental yield calculator and cash flow calculator help with the last step. For buying costs, see stamp duty.
- Sunshine Coast market guide 2026
- Buyers agent Sunshine Coast
- Best suburbs to invest in regional Queensland
- Best suburbs to invest in Australia: every list
- All locations
Cite this page: Rising Returns, “Best Suburbs to Invest in Sunshine Coast 2026: Top 5”, data to 31 October 2026, https://risingreturns.com.au/best-suburbs-to-invest-sunshine-coast/
Thinking of buying in the Sunshine Coast?
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Book a free discovery callInvesting in the Sunshine Coast: common questions
What are the best affordable suburbs to invest in the Sunshine Coast?
On our analysis of suburb data to 31 October 2026, our five picks are Pacific Paradise, Nambour, Burnside, Palmview and Caloundra West. Each has a typical house price below $1,350,000, enough sales to give reliable figures, and one of the higher rental yields in the area. They are a starting point for research, not a recommendation to buy in any of them.
What does affordable mean on this list?
A typical house price below the median for the Sunshine Coast, $1,350,000 (Cotality, median house value, August 2026, reported by Sunshine Coast News). It is relative: an affordable suburb in Sydney still costs more than most regional towns.
Does past growth mean these suburbs will keep growing?
No. Growth figures show what has happened, not what will. Strong recent growth can mean a suburb has already had its run. Look at supply, jobs, infrastructure and vacancy rates as well, and check the individual property and street.
Why does the list only cover houses?
Houses usually hold more land value, which tends to drive long-term growth, and house data is more consistent between suburbs. Units and townhouses can suit some budgets and goals, but they need a separate comparison.
General information only. It doesn’t consider your personal circumstances and isn’t financial, tax, credit or legal advice. Speak to a licensed professional before you act.