House prices, culture and cost of living see more adults living with their parents

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By the end of the year, Zoya Fong and Saajid Khan are hoping to be able to call themselves home owners.

But for now, the young married couple are living with Zoya's parents and her younger brother in their home in Googong, just outside of Canberra.

Even though both of them work full-time, the changing housing market and increasing cost of living in the city make their dream of owning a home seem further away than ever.

"It feels like the closer we get, the further away the goal gets," Zoya said.

The couple is part of a rising number of grown-up kids living at home for reasons like saving up for a deposit, due to cultural expectations, and because they can't afford to move out.

For Zoya, 26, and Saajid, 27, it's a mix of all three.

Zoya's family shifted to Australia back in 2000, and Saajid moved to Australia from Fiji about two years ago, roughly a year after he wed Zoya.

"Back in Fiji, it's pretty common for extended families to all live together," Saajid said.

Zoya and Saajid fork out about $300 a week in rent to her parents – something that Zoya's mum Doreen Shah doesn't even ask for, but said does go towards the mortgage.

"I don't make them pay because I want them to save up for their dream house, so they can build it," Doreen said.

For the young couple, the current arrangement isn't a one-way deal; they're hoping Saajid's mum or Zoya's parents will be able to live with them in their own place one day.

Living hand to mouth from one pay to the next

A recent Australian Institute of Family Studies report from 2023 has discovered that more young adults are now living with their parents.

The research examined census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics dating back to 2006. A comparison of survey results from 2016 and 2021 showed the most significant increase in recent years.

Report co-author Lixia Qu observed that the 2021 Census collected data during the pandemic, but she believed the trend of young people living at home was "ongoing".

She wouldn't be surprised if the next national survey in 2026 showed another increase.

"We're all too aware of the worsening rental market and the declining affordability of housing," Dr Qu said.

The high cost of housing is a harsh reality Missi Tsivili has to deal with on a daily basis.

The full-time mum, her husband, and their two kids live with Missi's parents in a rental house in Broadmeadows, which is in Melbourne's northern suburbs, because they can't afford to live on their own.

"We're keen to move out, but the only issue is the cost of accommodation," Missi said.

While she minds the couple's one-year-old daughter and four-year-old son, Missi's husband works in a factory, picking and packing goods for delivery by a major supermarket chain.

The cost of living is making it difficult for the young family to think about moving out of home.

"We've been living from one pay to the next, so it's been pretty tough, trying to figure out how much groceries we can afford," Missi said.

Instead of buying a steak, the family buys mince, which they can get for under $10.

Missi also keeps an eye out for affordable nappies, and no longer purchases her preferred brand as it's too pricey.

In Googong, Zoya and Saajid were keen to get their own independence and have a place to call their own, but they checked out rental properties and found the cost was a bit steep.

"Renting in Canberra is costing an arm and a leg," Zoya said.

One tiny little place was going for $600 a week in rent, which is just outrageous. And on top of that, there were the bills to worry about.

It's better to stay at home where I'm shelling out rent, but heaps less rent, and it's going straight to my family.

'Mates can take care of each other'

For Amanda Kan, living with her 36-year-old son "will save money" on housing costs, but it's not the main reason they live together in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Amanda and her husband, who moved to Australia from Shandong province in China 17 years ago, live with their son in Surrey Hills, near a big community of people who speak Mandarin in Box Hill.

In Australian culture, it is common that multiple generations – even three or four generations – choose to live together.

She's aware that a lot of her friends are keen to move out and live separately from their kids and grandkids, but Amanda's happy to stick around and live with her son until he gets married.

"It's pretty handy, and people can look out for each other," she said.

My English isn't too flash, so me boy can lend a hand.

Amanda, who's in her 60s, said her son is stoked to be living with them as well.

I'm still pretty young, and we get a kick out of spending time with each other, just like the good old days.

Young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds were more likely to live with parents, according to a 2023 report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

"We also found that not only do they live with their parents for a longer period, they are also more likely to return home if they face any challenges," Dr Qu said.

Finding harmony

There are benefits and drawbacks of young people living with their parents, Dr Qu said.

Parents and kids can develop a strong connection and work together on things like figuring out technology or saving up for a house.

"But if the two generations have different habits and ways of living … sometimes tension can come up," she said.

Doreen designed and built the family home, and she had always envisioned having room for her adult children to live there.

"When I arrived in Australia, I had a debt of $3,000 and I found it tough to build this house," she said.

It's like I've finally reached my goal, but it's taken me 24 years, and I'm still chipping in.

Despite her struggles, Doreen said it's heaps tougher for her kids to save up for a house deposit these days compared to when she and her husband were doing it.

In their Googong home, Doreen does most of the cooking – often making Indian-style aloo curries and Fijian dishes like lovo, which is cooked in the ground using hot stones.

The young couple does the cooking for two days a week and takes care of most of the household cleaning.

Her daughter Zoya said they all chip in for groceries and share the use of her parents' ute, but working out how to balance it out is something that's always in the back of her mind.

Dr Qu said it's vital that all adults have a clear understanding of what everyone's roles and expectations are in the household.

I reckon a mutual respect will go a long way.

For Zoya, having her husband live with them at home meant a shift in the family's dynamic, but they've found a sense of harmony.

I reckon we've all got pretty different personalities, no doubt.

We're from the same country, but we've got different cultural backgrounds. I've been brought up here, and he's been brought up back where he's from.

There are highs and lows, like every family goes through, but overall, I reckon it's pretty fair dinkum.

Doreen has mixed emotions about her daughter and son-in-law achieving the milestone of saving for a house deposit and buying their own home.

We're all one big family ... I reckon when they go, it will leave a hole. We'll miss 'em and want 'em back here again.