Moving into Sydney from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in AUD, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.
Moving into Sydney from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in AUD, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.
Headline Sydney rent is 1480 AUD/sqft/yr ($96 USD). Translate your incumbent occupancy cost-per-seat to the same basis using the Occupancy Cost tool. Most cross-border moves underestimate fit-out">fit-out timeline and overestimate density transferability.
Standard 5-10 year lease. Gross or net structure (both common). Australian leases distinguish 'face rent' (headline) from 'effective rent' (face minus incentive). Incentives of 30-40% are now standard — typically structured as rent abatement, fit-out contribution, or both. Use the Lease Term Translator to map terminology before reading the LOI.
Engage a tenant-rep broker, local counsel, an MEP/AV designer with Sydney project history, and a project manager who has run a Class A fit-out in this market in the last 24 months.
| city | Sydney |
|---|---|
| country | Australia |
| region | APAC |
| classARentLocal | 1480 AUD/sqft/yr |
| classARentUsd | $96/sqft/yr |
| vacancy | 12.6% |
| typicalLeaseYears | 7 |
| typicalRentFreeMonths | 30 |
| submarkets | 6 |
| primeYieldPct | 5.5% |
Reviewed by Kenji Watanabe — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.