Adelaide City Guide

Adelaide, capital of South Australia and home to roughly 1.47 million people in the Greater Adelaide region, has shifted from 'affordable also-ran' to one of Australia's standout property markets - dwelling values rose ~12% over 2025 and around 79% over five years, yet it remains cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne. The city anchors the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills wine regions, hosts a renowned festivals calendar (Adelaide Fringe, WOMADelaide), and is the national hub for defence and space, including AUKUS submarine construction at Osborne and the Australian Space Agency. Foreign-buyer context (whole of Australia): purchases require FIRB approval, and foreign buyers are generally restricted to NEW dwellings, off-the-plan apartments or development land - not established homes - with a temporary ban on foreign purchases of established dwellings running 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029. In South Australia, foreign buyers also pay a 7% Foreign Ownership Surcharge on residential land on top of standard transfer duty.