Rotorua Rentals' Richard Evans said rents had gone up "dramatically" over the past 10 years.
"It has become more expensive and incomes probably haven't gone up [as much]."
Mr Evans said the last Census results showed 40 per cent of Rotorua tenants were on a benefit, a percentage he believed to be similar now.
That meant for many, their rent would account for more than the median 33.2 per cent of income, he said.
He said tenants were increasingly looking for ways to make rent more manageable.
"We are finding more and more now that people are sharing. You might get two small families merging together to share the cost, for example two single mothers and their children."
However, Mr Evans said there were currently more rentals available in Rotorua than for many years, especially in the under-$250-per-week range. That meant there was the opportunity for tenants to obtain cheaper deals, particularly if they were prepared to move to areas considered "less desirable".
Pearl Pavitt, of the Rotorua Budget Advisory Service, said for those on low incomes it was worth checking if they were eligible for an accommodation supplement.
"You don't have to be on a benefit [to be eligible]."
She said the other option for those struggling was to get a boarder, first factoring in the additional costs of food and power.
A search of Rotorua three-bedroom homes on Trade Me on Thursday found 131 listed. The most expensive was $525 per week for an apartment in Arawa St and the cheapest a $150-per-week Owhata property. Lynmore was the most expensive suburb, with an average weekly rental of $346 for a three-bedroom home; and Fordlands the cheapest, at $203 a week.
