But ratepayers across town in Chandler continued to have Brisbane's biggest rates bills, with an average $2879.84 paid every year.

The figures were revealed in information provided by the council as Lord Mayor Graham Quirk delivered his 2016-17 budget on Wednesday.

The city-wide average of 4.7 per cent was one of the few surprises in the budget, which largely delivered on previously announced programs and election promises.

Cr Quirk said he was careful not to make promises about the level of rates during the recent election campaign.

"I made it very, very clear that we were not able to commit to a rate increase at CPI level because we know that there is continued pressure on us in relation to costs," he said.

"A lot of the costs around, for example, subsidies have continued to put added pressure on council.

"Our commitment to subsidise public transport continues to be a drain."

The top 10 average rates bills in Brisbane were:

1. Chandler ($2879.84)
2. Ascot ($2644.52)
3. Chelmer ($2640.72)
4. Hawthorne ($2637.56)
5. Burbank ($2536.07)
6. Hamilton ($2431)
7. Karawatha ($2369.83)
8. Gumdale ($2250.16)
9. Pallara ($2243.30)
10. Wilston ($2175.01)

Hawthorne just pipped out Chelmer, which had the biggest proportional increase last year, as the largest percentage rise in 2016-17.

The top 10 average rates rises were:

1. Hawthorne (7.5 per cent)
2. Chelmer (7.4 per cent)
3. Ascot (7.3 per cent)
4. Clayfield (7.3 per cent)
5. Ellen Grove (7.2 per cent)
6. Bulimba (7 per cent)
7. Inala (6.9 per cent)
8. Wacol (6.9 per cent)
9. Hendra (6.9 per cent)
10. Balmoral (6.9 per cent)

On the other side of the scale, Rocklea residents now had the lowest average rates in Brisbane:

1. Rocklea ($1006.88)
2. Inala ($1010.73)
3. Pinkenba ($1014.37)
4. Durack ($1032.17)
5. Mount Crosby ($1036.05)
6. Acacia Ridge ($1048.37)
7. Karana Downs ($1049.76)
8. Fitzgibbon ($1052.22)
9. Chuwar ($1065.49)
10. Sumner ($1072.57)

Residents on Moreton Island were the only Brisbane City Council ratepayers to have cheaper average rates in 2016-17, apart from those in Boondall.

The lowest percentage rates rises were:

1. Cowan Cowan (-7.7 per cent)
2. Bulwer (-7 per cent)
3. Kooringal (-6.8 per cent)
4. Boondall (-0.5 per cent)
5. Drewvale (0.1 per cent)
6. Nudgee Beach (o.5 per cent)
7. Bracken Ridge (1 per cent)
8. Bald Hills (1.2 per cent)
9. Anstead (1.6 per cent)
10. Geebung (1.7 per cent)

Of Brisbane's 183 suburbs, 83 had above-average rates rises in the 2016/17 budget.

Labor opposition leader Peter Cumming said the rates rises were a "slap in the face" for Brisbane residents.

"Less than 3 months ago Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Brisbane resident could trust him to keep rates low," he said.

"But today we have seen rates increases of an average 4.7 per cent, nearly three times the inflation rate."

Last year's pre-election average rates rise was just 2.5 per cent.

There was some bad news for renters, too, with a new report finding rental affordability in the greater Brisbane area had decreased over the past two years, due largely to a 0.2 per cent decline in the income growth rate while, at the same time, rent increased by an average 2.5 per cent.

SGS Economics and Planning associate Ellen Witte said the Rental Affordability Index built on historical trends, that saw rental affordability in Queensland deteriorate "dramatically" since the early 2000s.

"Long-term trends in most cities present a pessimistic outlook for rental affordability," she said.

"More young Australians are being squeezed out of the owner-occupier property market due to high housing costs, and this is driving up demand and prices for rental accommodation, exacerbating the rental accommodation shortage."

It was not all bad news, however, with inner-south suburbs such as West End, South Brisbane and East Brisbane experiencing improvements in rental affordability, which was thought to be as a result of localised growth in apartment supply.