Tired of soaring rent and unattainable home prices? You're not alone. In Brisbane, Australia, a growing number of residents are ditching traditional apartments and houses for a life less ordinary – a life on the water. But is swapping bricks and mortar for boats really the answer to the housing crisis? And what's it really like to live on a boat full-time? Buckle up, because the answers might surprise you.
Take Jordan Koursaris, for example. Following his divorce in 2024, the 40-year-old found himself dissatisfied with apartment living. So, he took a plunge – literally – and bought a 1966 boat named Mary Rose for $18,500. Mary Rose is now his inner-city home, moored at Kangaroo Point's Dockside Marina. But here's where it gets controversial... Is this a legitimate solution to the housing crisis, or simply a niche lifestyle choice for a select few?
"It's less than two grand a month; less than $500 a week and that includes all my expenses," Koursaris explains. That figure covers his berth rental ($1,455 per month, including power and water), a storage shed ($150 per month), and a car space ($275 per month). To put that into perspective, Domain's December quarter data shows that renting a unit in Kangaroo Point averages $720 per month, before factoring in utilities. So, on the face of it, boat living appears to be significantly cheaper.
But for Koursaris, it's more than just about saving money. "I've always wanted to live on a boat," he says. "I went through a divorce and… lived in an apartment for a year and thought, now's the time to do it. I just wanted to test it out and see if I liked the lifestyle." It's a dream come true, but dreams often come with challenges.
Life aboard Mary Rose, which is approximately 8 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, is undeniably compact. Koursaris, who is tall, admits to constantly ducking his head. "I don't stand much… or at all," he jokes. The bed, built into the bow, features an emergency escape hatch, which is a nice feature to have. Recently, though, he battled an unwelcome guest: wood fungus growing under the mattress. This necessitated a temporary relocation to a beanbag in his office while he treated the fungus with a toxic epoxy. And this is the part most people miss... Living on a boat isn't just sunshine and smooth sailing. It requires a willingness to embrace the unconventional and tackle unexpected problems.
The living area is equally petite. Two small benches serve as a bathroom and cooking space. A padded bench, the cabin's only seat, doubles as storage. Koursaris uses a miniature rice cooker and hot plate set for cooking. "This makes me [feel] like I'm living in a doll house," he laughs. "It wasn't until after I got them that a friend said, 'you know they're for kids to learn how to cook?'… [but] they work!" Every nook and cranny is utilized for storage, with seasonal wardrobe rotations to an offsite storage unit.
The wood fungus wasn't the only hurdle. Koursaris, a business development manager, has also dealt with regular power outages and hail-damaged solar panels. Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic and plans to upgrade to a larger vessel by the end of the year.
Koursaris isn't alone in his aquatic adventure. Josh Goodswen, another recent divorcee, has been living on a boat for a month and estimates he's spending "a third" of his previous living expenses compared to when he lived with his ex-wife in Noosaville and Sydney. "I just thought I'd be in for a bit of an adventure… I thought, 'hey, time to branch off,'" he says. "The berthing rent is really economical. If you look at the some of the apartments around, they're paying quite substantial rents." But is this truly a cost-effective long-term solution, or just a temporary fix?
Sam Dunmore, a 22-year-old retail worker, also calls Dockside Marina home. He lives on his parents' boat, which was previously moored on the Gold Coast, unused. "I wanted to live in the city… and I chose to live on the boat because it would be a fun new experience," he explains. He estimates he's saving a significant amount compared to renting an apartment like his friends. Data shows that the average weekly rent in Brisbane is $708, and prices rose 3.1 percent in the December quarter. "Compared to owning or renting – with all the extras on top of that – it's a lot cheaper," Dunmore says.
But let's look at the bigger picture. Tim Lawless, Executive Research Director for Asia Pacific at CoreLogic, estimates that renters in Brisbane are spending over a third of their gross income on rent. "The cost of renting has increased by around 49 percent over the past five years. In dollar terms, that means renters in Brisbane are paying about $225 more a week than they were back in December 2020," he states. "They're up 50 percent across regional Queensland." Buying property is equally daunting, with the average house in Brisbane costing $1.13 million and the average unit costing $807,161.
"While it's a little out of the box, a houseboat might be a practical and affordable option, even though it does come with its own challenges," Lawless concedes.
Dockside Marina manager Ken Allsop has observed an increase in permanent boat residents in recent years. He estimates that a third of the boats docked are permanently inhabited, with residents utilizing the marina's amenities. "When I got involved with the marina… it was 75 percent vacant," Allsop recalls. "It's a nice lifestyle, it's a waterfront apartment for nowhere near the millions that some people spend." But is this a sustainable solution on a larger scale, or will marinas become overcrowded and resources strained?
Ultimately, Koursaris's six-month trial has been largely positive, and he's planning an upgrade. However, he admits he might eventually return to land. "Living on a boat is very fun… sometimes it's not too practical, but I'm enjoying it at the moment." So, what do you think? Is boat living a viable solution to the housing crisis, or just a temporary escape? Would you ever consider swapping your apartment for a boat? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
