Yurt vs Tiny House: Cost, Approvals and Living Space Compared

A yurt usually costs less than a tiny house and gives you more open floor space for the money, with a high ceiling instead of a loft. A tiny house is built more like a conventional home and, depending on the design and where you put it, can have a clearer approval path as a dwelling. The right choice comes down to your budget, your block and how your council treats each one.

We sell yurts, so we've got a soft spot for them, but we've also got a clear idea of where they fit and where they don't. Here's the honest comparison.

Yurt vs tiny house at a glance

What is a yurt?

A yurt is a round building with a lattice wall, rafters running up to a central ring, and an insulated cover over the top. The design comes from the nomadic people of Central Asia, and the round shape spreads wind load evenly all the way around.

Our ORON is our premium yurt. It has a solid timber frame that's 60% heavier than our lighter yurt, thicker rafters, a 10mm acrylic dome skylight you can stand on, 10mm wool felt insulation and a natural hemp-cotton liner. It arrives as a kit, and most of our clients build it themselves with friends.

What is a tiny house?

A tiny house is a small, conventionally framed home, usually with a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping loft packed into a compact footprint. Many are built on a trailer so they can be moved. Others sit on a slab or piers like a small granny flat. They're built with standard framing, cladding and insulation, the same as any other house, just smaller.

Cost: what each really costs

Yurt costs

These are our current listed ORON prices, AUD ex GST:

The kit price covers the frame, cover, insulation, windows, doors, the hardware to put it together, and shipping to your nearest major port. It doesn't cover the platform, site works or the last leg from the port to your property.

Budget for these on top:

• The platform. Most DIY timber decks come in around $5,000 to $15,000.
• Delivery to site, or collect it from the port warehouse with a suitable trailer.
• Fit-out: bathroom, kitchen, power, water and furniture, if you're setting it up to stay in.

Most of our clients finish their whole yurt or dome setup somewhere between $20,000 and $80,000. Finance is available for eligible buyers, usually from around $500 a month.

Tiny house costs

Tiny house prices swing a lot depending on the builder, the trailer, the fit-out and how much of it you build yourself. What we can say is that in many cases a yurt is simpler and more affordable, especially when a lower upfront cost and a quick build matter most. Get a few itemised quotes before you compare. Ask what's included in the kitchen and bathroom, and whether delivery and connection to services are in the price.

Living space: how they feel inside

This is where people are surprised. Floor area on paper doesn't tell you how a space feels.

An 8m ORON gives you 50 sqm of open floor and a dome height of 3.9m. The height makes the biggest difference. You look up and there's the skylight and all that timber, so the room never feels small, even on a wet day.

A tiny house uses its space cleverly, but it's working inside a box. On wheels, the width is limited by what can legally go on the road, so you often get a long, narrow layout with a ladder up to a low sleeping loft. Some people love that efficiency. Others find it tight after a few months.

A yurt has its own quirks. It's round, so standard furniture and kitchen cabinets need a bit of thought along the curved wall. You can run the kitchen and bathroom along one section of wall, or add an adjoining room off a solid 900mm door, which ORON has as an option.

Build and setup

A tiny house is usually built off-site by a builder, or as a long weekend-and-evenings DIY project. Then it's delivered and connected.

A yurt goes up on your block. The platform comes first. It needs to be level, solid and the same diameter as the yurt, so the outer cover hangs over the edge and sheds water. If you're adding a deck around it, the yurt circle has to be separate or raised above that deck. Our decking plans cover every size, and building the platform is usually a 2 to 3 day job with basic carpentry skills.

Then the yurt itself. First-time builders usually take 2 to 3 days with 2 to 4 people. The heaviest part is lifting the outer cover, so that's the day to call in extra friends. You get written and video instructions, plus phone support.

Approvals: the part to check first

We'll keep this general, because it really does depend on where you are.

Rules for yurts and tiny houses differ by council and by state. They depend on what you're using the structure for, whether it's on wheels or fixed, how big it is and what's already on the property. The same structure can be treated quite differently from one council to the next.

A few things worth knowing before you call your council:

• Our yurts and domes don't currently comply with Australian building standards for dwellings. You can live in a yurt in Australia, but that doesn't mean it will be approved as a permanent dwelling.
• Your platform or deck may need approval even if the structure doesn't.
• Tiny houses have their own rules, which also vary from council to council.

Check with your local council before you buy either one. Our FAQ covers the questions we get asked most.

Durability and upkeep

Our yurt covers usually last around 7 years before needing a replacement. Replacement covers start from around $3,000 delivered, depending on size. The frame, doors and windows can last 15 years or more with proper maintenance. Upkeep is simple: wash the cover with mild detergent and a soft broom, check the silicone seals each year before winter, and sand and varnish the timber doors and window strips every 2 to 3 years.

A tiny house needs the same kind of upkeep as any small home: cladding, roofing, plumbing and, if it's on wheels, the trailer.

Which one suits you?

A yurt makes sense if you want the most floor space and height for your money, you're happy to build it yourself, and your plans fit your council's rules.

A tiny house makes sense if you want something built like a conventional home, you need to tow it, or your council has a clear path for the type of tiny house you want.

If you're still weighing it up, our free Ultimate Buyer's Guide covers sizes, insulation, decks and off-grid setups from over 150 client builds.

Talk to us

Compare sizes on the ORON page, have a look at our Geo Domes if you like a more modern shape, or call us on +61 489 269 088. We'll tell you straight what we think will work on your block.