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LIVING IN AUSTRALIA
 

Home  |  Study in Australia  |  Living in Australia  

Many Australians and migrants believe that Australia is the land of opportunity, where people are given a chance to thrive and flourish.

 

Living in Australia means encountering many new opportunities; Australia is a multicultural and safe country with a strong growing economy.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT LIVING IN AUSTRALIA

COSTS OF LIVING IN AUSTRALIA
 

Knowing the average living costs in Australia is an important part when making the decision to study in Australia. Here are some of the costs associated with living and studying in Australia. The costs below are in Australian Dollars and are an approximate guide only. Students should be aware that these costs can vary depending on the study program, lifestyle and city.

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Accommodation
 

How much is accommodation in Australia for students?

Accommodation and rent expenses in Australia vary depending on the location and standards that you choose and whether you live alone or in a shared accommodation.

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Hostels: $160 - $315/week

Shared houses, shared flats, shared rooms: $150 - $350/week

Rental apartment (not shared): $350 - $540/week

Homestay: $235 - $325/week
House Sitting: Free (find out more about house sitting in Australia)

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Other costs of living

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Groceries and eating out: $110 - $280/week

Gas, electricity: $35 - $140/week

Mobile phone and home internet: approx. $15/week

Public transport (if commuting daily): $25 - $60/week 

Car insurance and registration: from approx. $55/month (registration fees vary by state)

Entertainment & leisure: $80 - $150/week

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Minimum salary in Australia


As of 1 July 2023, the national minimum wage in Australia is $882.80 per week (for a 38 hour week) or $23.23 per hour. Penalty rates are higher pay rates that employees need to be paid for working particular hours or days. Employees may be entitled to a penalty rate when working:

  • weekends

  • public holidays

  • overtime

  • late night shifts or

  • early morning shifts.

For example, penalty rates could be 150% (time and a half) of the normal base wage for work performed on a Saturday and 200% (double time) for employees who perform work on a Sunday.

Sources: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/minimum-wages, https://employsure.com.au/guides/wage-and-pay/penalty-rates/

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Costs of living comparison -

Australia vs. Germany

Costs of Living
Petrol prices Germany vs Australia.png

Germany (Super)

€1.94 ($2.99)

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Australia (Unleaded)

€1.14 ($1.76)

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(Oct - Dec 2022)

Source: globalpetrolprices.com

Germany

€0.492/kwh ($0.759/kwh)

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Australia

€0.208/kwh ($0.321/kwh)

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(June 2022)

Source: globalpetrolprices.com

Electricity price comparison Germany Australia.png

Minimum costs of living*

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The Department of Home Affairs (immigration department) has financial requirements you must meet in order to obtain a student visa for Australia. The 12-month living cost is currently calculated as follows:

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Student: $24,505/year

Student’s partner or spouse: $8,574/year

Student’s child: $3,670/year

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It is a requirement that you have enough money genuinely available to you to pay for your study course fees, travel and costs of living for you and your accompanying family members while you are in Australia.

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You may have to provide evidence of your financial capacity with your visa application. You can find out if you are likely to need to provide this evidence by using the Document Checklist Tool on the the Department of Home Affairs website.

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Mobile Phone.png

Germany (Aldi Talk)  

€32.00 (AU$49.40) unlimited calls within Germany + 20 GB data

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Australia (Aldi Mobile)

€16.00 ($24.70) unlimited calls within Australia + 22 GB data

Monthly prepaid plans

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How to find accomodation
Beach Cabins

ACCOMMODATION IN AUSTRALIA

How to find accommodation in Australia as a student?
 

International students in Australia can choose from several different options when deciding where to live. From homestay over house sitting, shared houses to apartment living there are plenty of options depending on the student's needs and budget. 

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Homestay / Host families​

Homestay or private board is where the student lives with a family, couple or single person in their own home. Students can gain access to the Australian lifestyle and practise English in a natural way. There are many Homestay Providers operating in Australia and the terms and accommodation arrangements may vary. The most common arrangements for homestay usually include a furnished room, meals and utility bills. Some homestay providers may even do your laundry. The costs for a homestay in Australia are between $235 – $325 per week.

 

Hostels​

Hostels are usually temporary accommodation arrangements and are available from average $160 to $315 per week. Prices depend on shared facilities, room options (1 bed room vs. shared dorm, mixed dorm vs same-sex dorm), location, season, etc. Be aware that costs typically increase during cultural and sporting events (i.e. festivals, Footy Finals weekend, Melbourne Cup and Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne). Hostels can be found via booking websites like hostelworld.

Hostelworld Searchbar.jpg
Housesitting

Housesitting​

As a house sitter, you look after houses or apartments whose owners or renters are away on vacation, business trips, or other reasons. Depending on the house sit, you could be expected to take on different tasks. For example, you could be caring for pets, cleaning the house, gardening, maintaining the pool or emptying the mail box. In return, you live rent free. Most of our students use the trustedhousesitters.com portal to find a free and secure house sit in Australia. 

Modern Living Room

Rental Accommodation

Students over 18 can live in a rental accommodation.  However, it can be very expensive if you choose to live by yourself as one-bedroom apartments are usually more expensive than a room in a share flat or share house. You will usually be responsible for the connection fees for utilities (electricity, gas, water) and internet as well as the ongoing utility and internet bills. In addition, you generally have to pay a rental bond/security deposit to the landlord or real estate agency at the beginning of your lease.

Rental prices vary depending on the location, size and condition of the property.

Useful sources to find a rental accommodation in Australia are  

gumtree.com.au, domain.com.au, realestate.com.au, rent.com.au, Facebook Groups and Facebook Marketplace.

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Share Rental Accommodation (Share Houses or Share Flats)​

Students over 18 can live in a share flat or share house. Living in a flat or house can offer you an independent lifestyle and privacy. Rent for a room in a share house or share flat is usually between $150 and $350/week (depending on location, room size, furnished/unfurnished, etc.). For most rentals you will have to pay a bond/security deposit.

You may have to calculate additional costs for utilities and internet.

 

How to find a flat share in Australia?

Useful sources to find share accommodations for international students in Australia are flatmatefinders.com.au, gumtree.com.au,flatmates.com.au, student.com.au or Airbnb (usually for short term stay), Facebook Groups and Facebook Marketplace.

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Facebook groups can be useful sources to find a flat share or housemate in Australia. We have listed some of the most popular Facebook groups below.

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Find a flat share in Sydney:

  • Sydney Flatmates

  • Sydney Houseshare

  • Sydney Roomshare

  • Sydney Accomondation

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Find a flat share, house share or lease in Melbourne: 

  • Melbourne Fairyfloss Real Estate

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How to find a shared house in Brisbane: 

  • Brisbane rent a room/house/apartment/flat/accommodation

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How do you find a flat in Perth?

  • Facebook groups Perth Houses, Rooms, Rentals

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Find a flat share or house share in Gold Coast:

  • Gold Coast Privat Rentals

  • Gold Coast Rentals/Rooms/Housemates

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How do you find a flat in Adelaide?

  • Adelaide Houses

  • Adelaide Rooms

  • Adelaide Rentals

  • Adelaide South Australia Accommodation – Flatshare/ Houseshare/Roomshare

New apartment
Trusted House Sitters Banner.png

What is a rental bond (also referred to as security deposit)?​

A rental bond is money paid by the tenant at the start of a rental agreement. It is used as financial protection for the landlord in case the tenant breaches the terms of the agreement (damages the premises, owes rent, etc.).

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DISCLAIMER

The information on this page was last updated on 01 October 2023. The information is subject to change. Content on this website is not intended for use as immigration or legal advice.

 

Sources:

*https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500#HowTo

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