Brisbane Renters Save $220/Week Living on Boats

Jordan Koursaris stands inside his 1966 boat Mary Rose, paying less than $500 a week for inner-city Brisbane living while his neighbors in apartments spend over $700 plus utilities.

After his divorce in 2024, the 40-year-old tried apartment living but decided to pursue a longtime dream instead. He bought Mary Rose for $18,500 and moved into one of 76 berths at Kangaroo Point's Dockside Marina.

His monthly costs total $1,880, including the berth, power, water, storage, and parking. That's $220 less per week than the average Kangaroo Point apartment, and his utilities are already included.

The reality involves ducking through doorways in the 8-meter boat and cooking on miniature appliances a friend jokingly said were "for kids to learn how to cook." He rotates his wardrobe seasonally because there's only room for summer or winter clothes, not both.

Challenges have included wood fungus under his bed requiring toxic epoxy treatment, forcing him to sleep at his office one night. Power outages and hail-damaged solar panels tested his commitment, but he's already planning to upgrade to a larger vessel by year's end.

His neighbor Josh Goodswen moved aboard a month ago and now spends a third of his previous housing costs. The recent divorcee calls it an adventure worth taking.

Sam Dunmore, 22, lives on his parents' boat that was sitting unused on the Gold Coast. Moving to the city this way gave him independence without the financial strain his apartment-renting friends face.

Why This Inspires

These Brisbanites aren't just escaping rising rents. They're proving creative housing solutions can align financial necessity with personal dreams.

Brisbane rents have jumped 49 percent over five years, adding $225 to weekly costs since 2020. Regional Queensland saw similar 50 percent increases, pushing more people to think differently about home.

With average Brisbane houses costing $1.13 million and units at $807,000, boat living offers an accessible entry point to inner-city life. The marina community is growing as more people discover that unconventional doesn't mean uncomfortable.

Property analyst Tim Lawless from Cotality notes that while boat living comes with unique challenges, it provides a practical alternative when traditional housing costs consume over a third of gross income.

For these three residents, compact kitchens and seasonal wardrobes are small trade-offs for waterfront living at half the price, proving sometimes the best solution floats.