Cost of Living in Australia for International Students

Student Living Cost in Australia

Managing finances is the foremost priority of any student who plans to study abroad. The obvious question ‘What is the cost of studying in Australia?’ can be answered taking a number of factors into account. The type of education you are pursuing, your location in Australia, the university you are enrolled in and many such factors will help you determine the cost. But, knowing the average cost of quotidian things is an important part of your financial planning.

Along with lakhs of rupees which is spent on tuition fees, there are other costs that add to the total expenses of studying abroad such as accommodation, transportation, groceries and food, and other miscellaneous expenses. Not to mention the evidence of having at least AU$20,209 for living costs a year needs to be produced by an international student in order to get an Australian student visa.

Mentioned below are various expenses and prices that will help you know the cost of living in Australia. You can also compare the cost with India to plan your budget in a better way.

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Education Cost in Australia

Cost of studying in Australia is the tuition fees for the programme in which a student is enrolled. Tuition fee covers close to 70% of the total cost of studying in Australia.

Tuition fees vary and depend on your education provider, programme, level of study and many other factors. While you must collect detailed and accurate information for specific courses of study offered at an institute for the current academic year, you can check the list of tuition fees for international students at some of the top Australian universities for an estimate of tuition fees in Australia.

Universities	Tuition Fee Range (Per Annum)
Southern Cross University (SCU)	AUD $25,200 - AUD $32,000
Australian National University (ANU)	AUD $36,480 - AUD $48,480
University of Melbourne	AUD $25,280 - AUD $52,812
University of Sydney	AUD $9,750 - AUD $67,000
The University of Queensland (QU)	AUD $26,096 - AUD $76,584
The University of Western Australia (UWA)	AUD $31,600 - AUD $161,600
University of New South Wales (UNSW)	AUD $9,359 - AUD $48,000

Note: The above mentioned is for reference. The fee may be revised for the current academic year.

Also Read: Australian Universities Offer Tuition Fee Rebates to Offshore International Students

Accommodation/ Living Cost in Australia

An international student can choose to stay in the residential facilities provided by institutes on campus or they can stay off-campus. The expense varies for both on-campus and off-campus stay in Australia depending on the location, facilities and other such factors.

Here you can refer to the average cost so that you can plan your budget accordingly.

Facility	Cost in USD	Cost in INR
Rental Apartments (Per Week)	$185 - $440	INR 9,230 - 21,953
Shared Rentals (Per Week)	$95 - $215	INR 4,739 - INR 10,727
On-Campus Accommodation (Per Week)	$110 - $280	INR 5,488 - INR 13,970
Guest Houses and Hostels (Per Week)	$90 - $150	INR 4,490 - INR 7,484

Also Read: Victorian Govt released $33.4 Million Package to Support Int'l Education Sector

Cost of Groceries and Food Items in Australia

In Australia, you can find all types of cuisines be it Indian, Chinese, Continental, American or Italian. There are also a number of hotels and restaurants around the cities where food is available at reasonable prices which primarily depends on factors such as quality, type of restaurant, brand and season. However, the average cost of a meal in a good restaurant may cost around AUD$40. For expenses on groceries in Australia, refer to the table given below:

Item	Cost in USD	Cost in INR
Whole Fat Milk (1 Litre)	$1.26	INR 62.87
Eggs (a Dozen)	$5.46	INR 272.51
Apples (1 KG)	$4.29	INR 214.11
Tomatoes (1 KG)	$4.94	INR 246.55
Potatoes (1 KG)	$3.27	INR 163.20
Beef (1 KG)	$16.27	INR 812.03
Bread for a Person for Two Days	$2.53	INR 126.27
Domestic Beer (Half Litre)	$5.76	INR 287.48
Cold Drink (2 Litres)	$2.98	INR 148.73
Red Table Wine (One Bottle)	$19	INR 948.28

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Transportation Cost in Australia

Public transport is easily accessible in Australia and the cities are also well connected by airways and roadways. One can use buses, trams, taxis and trains to move to and fro within the city. Transportation costs isn’t something that can be estimated accurately as it depends on the distance of travel and the mode of transportation.

However, if you are looking for the answer to ‘what is the average transportation cost in Australia?’ then check out the table below.

Transportation Medium	Cost in AUD	Cost in INR
Local Transport (one-way ticket)	$4.20	INR 209.62
One Litre of Gasoline	$1.48	INR 73.87
Monthly Pass	$150	INR 7,486.46
Taxi - Normal Tariff (1 KM)	$2	INR 99.82
Taxi Start (normal tariff)	$4.50	INR 224.59

Miscellaneous Expenses In Australia

Along with the major expenses mentioned above, students must have some extra money to spend on miscellaneous things such as recreation, entertainment, hobbies, shopping, medicines etc. To get an overview of additional expenses while staying in Australia, check the table below:

Facility/ Activity	Cost in AUD	Cost in INR
Fitness Clubs (Per Month)	$65.08	INR 3,248.12
2 Movie Tickets	$37	INR 1,846.66
A Pair of Jeans	$50 - $95.97	INR 2,495.49 - INR 4,789.84
A Pair of Running Shoes (mid-range)	$130	INR 6,488.26
Cold Medicine (Coldrex, Frenadol, Tylenol or Equivalent Brand)	$9	INR 449.19
A Box of Tampons (32 pieces)	$6	INR 299.46
Dinner at an Italian Restaurant (for two)	$107	INR 5,340.34
Two Tickets to a Theatre	Up to $224	INR 11,179.78

Minimum Cost of Living in Australia

As of October 2019, the minimum 12-month cost of living is as follows:

For	Living Cost per Year
Student or Guardian(s)	AUD$21,041
Partners Coming with the Student	AUD$7,362
Child Coming with the Student	AUD$3,152

Source: Australian Trade and Investment Commission

Cost of Living in the Top 3 Cities in Australia

To get a better idea of how much you are likely to spend if you choose to study in the top Australian cities of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, go through the tables below:

Sydney

Type of Expense	Price
Rent	AUD$2299
Groceries	Milk per Gallon- AUD$5.55 Bread- AUD$2.56 Chicken per Pound- AUD$4.57
Restaurant	AUD$15-30
Transportation	Gas- AUD$5/gallon Monthly Pass- AUD$180

Brisbane

Type of Expense	Price
Rent	AUD$1457
Groceries	Milk per Gallon- AUD$4.95 Bread- AUD$2 Chicken per Pound- AUD$4.53
Restaurant	AUD$17-30
Transportation	Gas- AUD$5.24/gallon Monthly Pass- AUD$150
Miscellaneous	Movie- AUD$14 Coffee- AUD$4.62

Melbourne

Type of Expense	Price
Rent	AUD$1527
Groceries	Milk per Gallon- AUD$4.93 Bread- AUD$2.46 Chicken per Pound- AUD$4.45
Restaurant	AUD$15-30
Transportation	Gas- AUD$5.16/gallon Monthly Pass- AUD$147
Miscellaneous	Movie- AUD$19 Coffee- AUD$4.23

Cheapest Cities in Australia for International Students

Although home to thousands of international students, Sydney is rather the least affordable city in Australia for an international student. Given below is a table listing the top six cities in Australia that are the cheapest for international students:

City	Average Tuition Fee a Year
Gold Coast	US$20,600
Canberra	US$22,400
Adelaide	US$24,500
Melbourne	US$24,500
Brisbane	US$25,600
Perth	US$25,700

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FAQs on Cost of Living in Australia for International Students in 2022

What is the average tuition fees for international students in Australia?

The annual average tuition fees for undergraduate courses in Australia is AUD 18,000-42,000 and for graduate courses, it is AUD 22,000-50,000. For doctoral courses in Australia, the average tuition fees is AUD 22,000-55,000. Australian courses may differ in terms of tuition fees as per the university and even the province where the university is located.

Can an international student rely on part-time jobs to finance their stay in Australia?

No. Similar to financing studies, an international student cannot rely on part-time jobs to finance their stay or living costs in Australia. On a minimum wage of AUD 18.23 per hour, a student cannot finance their living costs. Even though there is no cap on maximum wages for obvious security reasons, the admission process requires students to prove financial ability to fund both their education and stay.

Can an international student rely on part-time jobs to finance their studies in Australia?

While part-time jobs prove quite helpful to international students, they cannot be relied upon as a means to finance or support their education in Australia. Part-time jobs in Austrlia can only help students in ensuring they have a source of income, an extra amount they can save for contingencies and an assurance to keep themselves productive and involved while away from their home.

How can an international student find part-time jobs in Australia?

As an international student in Australia, one can find part-time jobs on job hunting sites or portals. In case of freelancing, there are various freelance sites as well. Additionally, many universities try to support their international students by setting up support cells which help them meet prospective employers and also confirms certain security.

Which expenses are most concerning for international students in Australia?

In Australia, the international students can find certain expenses like accommodation, travel and incidental expenses to be most stressful. On the other hand, certain expenses such as necessities and leisure expenses might not be bothersome initially but they might reflect heavily in the overall budgeting process.

Are travel expenses high for international students in Australia?

Travel expenses for international students in Australia can be affordable to some extent. For an individual student, the fares and costs might seem viable but the travel expenses have a habit of mounting up to become huge in total. In Australia, an usual taxi fare is fixed at AUD 4.50 and variable at AUD 2 per kilometer. The students can, however, apply for a monthly pass in Australia but it also costs AUD 150, which again is a discounted amount to actual fares.

What are the general expenses for international students in Australia?

The general expenses for international students in Australia, apart from living costs, include expenses on necessities (such as clothing, food, water, electricity, travel, etc.), lifestyle expenses (such as toiletries, snacks, fitness, beverages, etc.), leisure expenses (such as movies, travel, road trips, weekend parties, etc.) and incidental expenses (such as medicines, wear and tear, repairs, etc.).

Are residential facilities at Australian universities expensive?

Residential facilities at Australian universities have an average monthly cost of AUD 440-1100, making it somewhat expensive yet reasonable. Even though this amount is not at all cheap, it is less than the off-campus housing facilities which range between AUD 750-1700 monthly. Students can opt for shared lodging both on- and off-campus to afford residential housing in Australia.

Which are the cheapest and most expensive cities in Australia for international students?

On varying parameters, Adelaide is the cheapest city in Australia for international students, while Sydney and Hobart are in constant competition on expense rates and are among the most expensive cities. Other major cheaper cities in Australia include Brisbane, Melbourne, Darwin, New South Wales and Perth. Each city has a different rate of housing, food and lifestyle maintenance.

What is the average living cost in Australia for international students?

The annual average cost of living in Australia is AUD 16,800-30,000. The living costs of different cities of Australia vary drastically. While some cities are quite affordable for international students, others on the other hand could prove to be quite expensive. Hence, the annual average cost of living in Austrlia might also differ according to the university and its location.