In short
In the June quarter 2026, the median price of an established house sold in Sydney was $1,487,600 (-2.1% over a year), and $840,000 for a unit or other attached dwelling. At $1,487,600, general transfer duty in NSW is $63,105, before any first home buyer or owner-occupier concession.
Calculate for Sydney
Sydney in context
Among the eight capital cities, Sydney is the most expensive for a median established house, at $1,487,600: $332,600 above Brisbane. Its -2.1% over a year is 8th of eight on growth, the slowest.
A unit or other attached dwelling sold for a median $840,000, 43.5% below a house. 108,904 homes changed hands here (June quarter 2025 to March quarter 2026), 61% of the 177,723 in New South Wales.
General duty on that median house is $63,105, 4.2% of the price; among the capital cities Payotte can compute that is the 4th highest share.
In New South Wales, the cooling-off period is 5 business days (10 for off the plan), and backing out costs 0.25% of the price, land tax starts at $1,075,000 and first home buyers are exempt up to $800,000.
| Capital city | Median house | Against Sydney | Over a year | Growth gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | $1,155,000 | -22.4% | +18.8% | +20.9 pts |
| Canberra | $1,030,000 | -30.8% | +3% | +5.1 pts |
| Perth | $1,010,000 | -32.1% | +18.8% | +20.9 pts |
| Adelaide | $975,000 | -34.5% | +13.2% | +15.3 pts |
| Melbourne | $850,000 | -42.9% | +1.2% | +3.3 pts |
| Darwin | $752,500 | -49.4% | +21.4% | +23.5 pts |
| Hobart | $750,000 | -49.6% | +4.9% | +7 pts |
The questions, answered
What is the median house price in Sydney?
The median price of the established houses sold in Sydney was $1,487,600 in the June quarter 2026, -2.1% over a year (ABS Total Value of Dwellings, preliminary).
How much does a unit or apartment cost in Sydney?
The median price of attached dwellings (units, apartments, townhouses) sold in Sydney was $840,000 in the June quarter 2026, +1.2% over a year, against $1,487,600 for a house (ABS).
How much stamp duty on a median house ($1,487,600) in Sydney?
On $1,487,600, general transfer duty in Sydney (NSW) is $63,105, at the rates in force on 14 October 2026.
How much tax when you sell a home in Sydney?
Capital gains tax is federal: the same rule applies in Sydney as across Australia. A main residence is exempt (section 118-110). On an investment property held 12 months or more and sold before 1 July 2027, half the gain counts: a $300,000 gain adds $150,000 to taxable income, taxed at the seller's marginal rate. The calculator above shows the foreign-resident cases and the 1 July 2027 change.
How many homes sell in Sydney?
108,904 homes changed hands in Sydney from the June quarter 2025 to March quarter 2026 (55,003 houses and 53,901 attached dwellings), the latest four revised quarters (ABS).
Is Sydney expensive?
Sydney ranks 1st of the eight capital cities for the median price of established houses sold in the June quarter 2026, from $1,487,600 in Sydney to $750,000 in Hobart (ABS).
More on the tax when you sell: capital gains tax and your main residence.
The figures, June quarter 2026
| Measure | Value | Over a year |
|---|---|---|
| Median price, established houses sold | $1,487,600 | -2.1% |
| Median price, attached dwellings sold | $840,000 | +1.2% |
| Homes changing hands, June quarter 2025 to March quarter 2026 | 108,904 | — |
| New South Wales: mean price, all dwellings | $1,304,900 | +1.9% |
A median of houses sold and a mean of the whole housing stock measure different things: do not compare them. The latest quarter is preliminary and may be revised.
Elsewhere in New South Wales
Sources
- Prices and sales: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Total Value of Dwellings (cat. 6432.0). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Total Value of Dwellings, June Quarter 2026, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Duty: rates and sources of the calculator (Revenue NSW).
- Tax when you sell: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997; Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Act 2026 (change from 1 July 2027).