Como vs KensingtonTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Como (WA 6152) is approximately 6 km south of the Perth CBD, divided by Canning Highway. Kensington (WA 6151) is approximately 3 km south-east of the Perth CBD, between Canning Highway and Kent Street. At the 2021 Census, Como had 14,786 residents with a median age of 38, and Kensington had 4,627 residents with a median age of 38.
The most common occupied dwelling was townhouses and terraces in Como and separate houses in Kensington. Flats and apartments made up 14% of occupied dwellings in Como and 6% in Kensington, while 41% of Como households rented compared with 28% in Kensington. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
WA 6152 · Southern river suburbs of Perth
Como
Como is a City of South Perth river suburb where townhouses make up over half of homes, detached houses under a third, and renting leads at 40.7 per cent.
City of South Perth. Approximately 6 km south of the Perth CBD, divided by Canning Highway.
Read the full Como guideWA 6151 · Southern river suburbs of Perth
Kensington
Kensington is an inner suburb split between two councils and named after a racecourse, where 41.0 per cent of households hold a mortgage and houses dominate.
City of South Perth. Approximately 3 km south-east of the Perth CBD, between Canning Highway and Kent Street.
Read the full Kensington guide
What buying in Como and Kensington would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Como and Kensington.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Como to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Kensington to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Como and Kensington: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Como | Kensington |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 14,786 | 4,627 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 38 | 38 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,780 | $2,496 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $350 | $375 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $2,041 | $2,600 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 41% | 28% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 28% | 41% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 28% | 29% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 33% | 82% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 53% | 12% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 14% | 6% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 38% | 23% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 20% | 36% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 11% | 9% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Como and Kensington
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Como
- Investors
- First home buyers
- Downsizers
- Upgraders
- More than two-thirds of dwellings are attached or apartments, so strata lending policy is central.
- Small one and two bedroom dwellings can fall below lenders' minimum internal floor areas.
- Strata levies are counted in serviceability assessments, and defect rectification levies can be significant.
- A detached house on a lot with subdivision capacity is valued partly as development land.
- Canning Highway divides the suburb and carries substantial traffic, which affects frontage properties.
Kensington
- Upgraders
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Two councils apply within the one suburb, the City of South Perth and the Town of Victoria Park.
- Kensington shares postcode 6151 with South Perth, which differs in housing profile and price.
- At 1,632 occupied dwellings, comparable sales evidence is limited for valuation.
- Median monthly mortgage repayments of $2,600 mean serviceability binds before deposit.
- Canning Highway on the western boundary carries substantial traffic.
Housing stock in Como and Kensington compared
Como
- Townhouses and villa units
- The dominant form at 3,434 dwellings, or 52.5 per cent of occupied homes at the 2021 Census.
- Apartments
- The 948 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 14.5 per cent of occupied homes, concentrated near Canning Bridge station.
- Remaining detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 2,147 at the 2021 Census, only 32.8 per cent of occupied homes.
Kensington
- Detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 1,337 at the 2021 Census, 81.9 per cent of occupied homes.
- Three and four bedroom homes
- At the 2021 Census, 654 dwellings had three bedrooms and 480 had four.
- Townhouses
- The 203 semi-detached or townhouse dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, with 95 flats.
Official sale price and rent figures for Como and Kensington
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Como
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Como, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Kensington
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Kensington, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Como and Kensington
Como
Transport
- Canning Bridge Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Canning Highway (road)
- Kwinana Freeway (road)
Amenities
- Swan River foreshore
- Como local shops
- Collier Park
Kensington
Transport
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Canning Highway (road)
- Kent Street (road)
- Kwinana Freeway (road)
Amenities
- Kensington Bushland Reserve
- Kensington local shops
- Collier Park Golf Course
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the Western Australia education department.
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Request a free assessment: Como or Kensington
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