Living costs

The cost of living for international students is significantly lower in Australia than in countries like the USA and the UK.

The average international student in Australia will spend around $300 to $360 on living costs including accommodation, food, transport, telephone and entertainment.

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs advises students to have $A12,000 per year.

Where you choose to study and how you choose to live in Australia will affect your costs. For example, living in a regional area or in an outer suburb is usually cheaper than in the main city centre. Your choice of transport is also important in terms of costs – riding a bike or using public transport is cheaper than buying and running your own car.