Cost-of-living leads to co-living: 4.1 million Australians shack up with someone to save money
Millions of Australians have moved in or stayed living with someone purely to ease financial pressure, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,011 respondents revealed nearly 1 in 5 Aussies (19%) – 4.1 million people – have turned to shared living as a way to stay afloat.
Living with parents or grandparents was the most common fallback, with 10% of Australians saying they had returned home or extended their stay to curb costs.
Siblings were the next most likely cohabitants (7%), followed by friends (4%).
Shockingly 3% of Australians admit they've moved back in with an ex just to save money, suggesting financial strain is forcing people to put even the messiest pasts aside.
Taylor Blackburn, personal finance specialist at Finder, said more Australians are being forced into difficult trade-offs to maintain their housing security.
"Between soaring rents, rising interest rates and general cost-of-living pressures, the ability to live alone is slipping out of reach for many."
Finder's research found this was particularly true for younger Australians – 39% of gen Z have moved in with someone (or stayed living with them) for financial reasons in the last 12 months, compared to 27% of millennials, and just 4% of gen X.
Cohabiting for financial reasons is most common in Victoria where 33% have shacked up to save on accommodation costs, compared to 16% of Queenslanders, 15% of those NSW, 14% in WA, and only 11% of South Australians.
Blackburn said for a portion of the population, shared housing is no longer a preference – it's a survival strategy.
"Unconventional living arrangements are fast becoming the norm as financial pressures leave Australians with little choice but to prioritise affordability over comfort."
Blackburn encouraged Aussies to build an emergency fund.
"Design your life so you can manage a drought. One surprising expense that sinks you isn't a surprise – it's a design flaw.
"Maintaining even a modest financial buffer can be the difference between staying in control and being forced into living situations you never imagined."
Have you moved in with someone or stayed living with them for financial reasons in the last 12 months?
| Yes, my parents/grandparents | 10% |
| Yes, a sibling | 7% |
| Yes, a friend | 4% |
| Yes, an ex-partner | 3% |
| Yes, other | 1% |
| No | 81% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,011 respondents, February 2026 |  |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,011 respondents from February 2026.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
Sources
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