Households make room as renters share living costs pain

Renters face soaring prices as politicians pledge billions of dollars to fix the housing crisis. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

With rents rising nearly 40 per cent in the past five years cities are becoming hubs for larger households as international students lead the charge of living together.

Housing has become a battleground for the major political parties jockeying to appeal to first-time homebuyers in particular, but renters continue to do it tough.