Study in Australia: Housing & Living Costs

It is very important as a student to be able to make a financial plan prior to your studies, after receiving the letter of acceptance from your university. Living cost in Australia depends on multiple factors such as the location of your studies, the budget you are willing to give for rent, your commuting options, food preferences and overall your lifestyle. 

When it comes to student housing, you have various options to choose from, depending on your budget and preferences. Depending on the location of your studies and type of accommodation, living cost in Australia may vary significantly. A very popular option among international students is to rent or lease a property with your friends or classmates. This type of housing will cost you 95-215 AUD per week.

In that case, you will need to pay a security deposit or a monthly rent in advance. The deposit is held by the Residential Tenancy Authority and it is used as a type of security in case of damages caused at the property. This deposit or ‘’bond’’ will be refunded to you when your rental agreement ends. For more information, you can navigate through the official websites of the relevant Fair Trading government agency located in the area of your studies. 

A great way to reduce your living cost in Australia is to choose the purpose built student accommodation or short-term accommodation. The first refers to residences especially designed for students and include studio apartments or shared rooms with communal areas and facilities like gyms. 

These residences belong to the campuses of the universities and you would be expected to spend around 110-280 AUD per week, depending on the room you choose. They are mostly centrally located and convenient for you as a student to commute to the university and usually include all the bills like electricity, water, heat and internet. 

The second is chosen by students who haven’t found yet an accommodation and can make usage of a short-term accommodation in order to familiarise themselves with the city they will be staying in. These include hotel or hostel rooms and temporary housing sometimes offered by the university. Hostels will cost you around 90-150 AUD per week. For more relevant information about purpose built and short-term student accommodation you can contact your university. 

University managed accommodation is entirely operated by the university and offers fully furnished and with all the bills included student residences. This accommodation is highly sought after, so you need to contact your university and apply for housing as soon as possible. 

Finally, if you would like to indulge into Australian culture and adapt easier, why not consider homestay? It will allow you to balance your living cost in Australia and not spend a lot on accommodation. You will be living with an Australian family which is screened and capable to provide you a friendly and safe environment. The cost is student friendly and costs around 235-325 AUD per week. 

If gas and electricity is not included in the rental agreement, don’t worry! It will cost you only 10-20 AUD per week and your mobile phone and internet services 15 to 30 AUD per week. For a monthly transport card you will need to pay 150 AUD which is quite expensive, but you will only need it in case your accommodation is far from the campus. 

Otherwise, if you live in the accommodation provided by the university you can either walk or use a bicycle! Overall, an international student needs on average between 1500 and 2500 AUD per month. Life in the bigger cities like Sydney and Melbourne is more expensive than in cities like Brisbane or Adelaide.

Average Living Costs in Australia: 

Useful student housing & accommodation websites:

UniLodge provides safe and secure student accommodation for domestic and international students from all over the world. UniLodge partners with many universities to provide university housing on or near campus at some of the most prestigious universities in Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra,  Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. You can apply online for any of our properties and receive a letter of offer the next working day.

Student.com offers over 1 million beds in Australia and other countries around the world. Their website is free to use and offers a dedicated team of expert accommodation consultants and price match comparisons. They also have formal contractual relationships with every landlord on their site for an added layer of security for you!

AmberStudent is a leading one-click student accommodation platform providing free assistance to students. Partnered with 2000+ private properties around the globe, students can choose from 150,000+ rooms across 600+ universities. In Australia, they provide accommodation services in cities namely Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.