To borrow $900,000, a single applicant with no other debts needs about $195,000 a year, and a couple about $200,000 combined. That is at the 6% example rate, assessed at 9% over 30 years. Two incomes of $100,000 just reach it. The repayments are about $5,396 a month, and the bank tests you at about $7,242.

Income needed for a $900,000 loan, by household
Household Income needed Why it differs
Single, no debts About $195,000 Taxed on one income
Couple, no debts, no children About $200,000 combined Two tax-free thresholds offset higher living costs
Couple, two children About $218,000 combined Dependant allowance added
Single with a $500 a month car loan About $210,000 Commitment deducted first

Why is a $900,000 loan where single and couple incomes meet?

A couple pays less tax on the same total income than one person does, but lenders allow more for a couple’s living costs. Around $900,000 the two effects roughly cancel, so the income needed is similar either way. Below this a couple needs more. Above it, less.

What does $900,000 buy?

With a 5% deposit under the 5% Deposit Scheme, about $947,000, which is inside the first home buyer duty concession band. With 20% down, $1,125,000. Above $1 million a first home buyer pays full duty, so the deposit and duty together set the cash needed. See stamp duty on $900k.

Is a $900,000 loan too high a multiple of income?

At about $200,000 for a couple, the loan is about 4.5 times income. APRA limits how much new lending banks can write at six times income or more, so a lower income that reaches $900,000 through an unusually generous calculator can still be capped by that rule.

How do HECS and children change it?

Each child adds to the living costs a lender assumes, and HECS repayments of 15 to 17 cents per dollar above $69,528 count as a commitment. A couple with two children needs about $218,000. The HECS page shows the debt side.

How do debts change the income needed for a $900,000 loan?

Lenders count your debts before your income can carry the loan. Even an unused $10,000 card is assessed at 3.8% of its limit a month, which lifts the single income needed by about $11,000.

How debts lift the income needed for $900,000
Situation Income needed
No other debts $195,000
A $10,000 credit card limit $206,000
A car loan of $500 a month $210,000
Both $221,000

What are the repayments on a $900,000 loan?

  • At 6% over 30 years: $5,396 a month, or about $2,490 a fortnight.
  • At 6% over 25 years: $5,799 a month.
  • At the 9% rate lenders test: $7,242 a month, the figure your budget is checked against.

Does a shorter loan term change the income needed?

Yes. Over 25 years instead of 30 the repayments are higher, so a single applicant needs about $204,000 rather than $195,000 for the same $900,000, and the repayment rises to $5,799 a month at 6%.

What price and deposit go with a $900,000 loan?

With a larger deposit the same loan stretches to a higher price, and the duty rises with it.

Price and duty behind a $900,000 loan
Deposit Price Duty, most buyers Duty, eligible first home buyer
5% ($47,000) $947,000 $36,819 $28,875
20% ($225,000) $1,125,000 $44,812 $44,812

What else does a lender check besides income for a $900,000 loan?

  • Your deposit and where it came from; see genuine savings.
  • Your credit file, including repayment history.
  • Living costs, as the higher of what you declare and a benchmark.
  • Whether the property suits the lender: some limit loans on units under 50 square metres; see small apartment home loans.

Nearby loan sizes: the income needed for an $800k or a $1 million home loan. The borrowing power calculator starts from your own income instead.

Questions people ask

What salary do I need for a $900,000 mortgage?

About $195,000 single or $200,000 combined as a couple with no debts, on our assumptions.

Can a couple on $100,000 each borrow $900,000?

Just: $200,000 combined reaches about $900,000 with no debts or children on our assumptions.

What are the repayments on $900,000?

About $5,396 a month at 6% over 30 years, or $2,490 a fortnight.

What deposit goes with a $900,000 loan?

About $47,000 for a 5% deposit on a $947,000 purchase, or $225,000 for 20% on $1,125,000, plus duty and costs. The deposit calculator runs it.

Charles Touma tests a $900,000 loan against the lenders that count your income best, including overtime, bonuses and allowances. A free 30-minute call covers your borrowing. General information only, not credit advice. Lender policies change, and your own circumstances decide what suits you.

Sources: APRA, serviceability buffer; APRA, debt-to-income limit; ATO, study loan repayment thresholds 2026-27, checked 27 October 2026.

General information only, not credit, legal or tax advice. Your situation is assessed properly before any recommendation. Government scheme details change; figures are current at the time of writing.