Australia Cost of Living for Students: 6 Cities Compared (2026)
The Australia cost of living for students starts at AUD 29,710 a year: that is the minimum Home Affairs asks a single student visa applicant to show, about Rs 31.48 lakh. Real costs depend on the city. Official university and state figures put a shared room at roughly AUD 170–350 a week in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while a one-bedroom flat in Melbourne has a median rent of AUD 475 a week. Rent is the biggest difference between cities, so choose your city with your budget, not only your course.
Last checked: 20 October 2026. Rupee amounts use the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026 (AUD 1 = Rs 105.97), and change with the exchange rate.
The visa minimum: AUD 29,710 a year
For the student visa (subclass 500), the financial capacity amount for 12 months of living costs is set in a legislative instrument, LIN 19/198 on the Federal Register of Legislation. Its current version dates from 10 May 2024, when the student amount went up to AUD 29,710. Universities repeat the same amounts. Australian Catholic University’s living costs page lists:
- Student (primary applicant): AUD 29,710 a year (about Rs 31.48 lakh)
- Partner: AUD 10,394 a year (about Rs 11.01 lakh)
- Each dependent child: AUD 4,449 a year (about Rs 4.71 lakh)
Since 2 October 2026, most new students can no longer bring family members on a student visa, so for most Nepali applicants only the first line matters. See the financial documents guide for how to prove it.
Treat AUD 29,710 as the visa minimum, not as a budget. Study Australia, the government’s student site, says actual living costs “vary throughout Australia and may be much higher than what is needed for the visa.”
Australia cost of living for students by city
Universities and state study agencies don’t publish their figures in the same format. Some give median rents, some give housing prices, and some give a sample weekly budget. The table quotes each source exactly as it publishes its figures, so read the “What the figure means” column before you compare cities.
| City | Official figure | What the figure means | About (NPR) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | AUD 475 a week (1-bed flat); AUD 575 (2-bed flat) | Median weekly private rent, Metropolitan Melbourne | Rs 50,300 / Rs 60,900 a week | University of Melbourne cost of living page (Victorian Government data) |
| Brisbane | From AUD 345 a week (room in a 3-bed share); from AUD 170 (bigger share house); total AUD 1,326–3,739 a month off campus | Starting rents and a monthly budget range for an off-campus student | Rs 36,600 / Rs 18,000 a week; Rs 1.41–3.96 lakh a month | University of Queensland cost of living page |
| Adelaide | AUD 16,640 a year (room in a shared house, Mattanya, 2027); AUD 19,760 a year (Adelaide University Village, shared bathroom, 2027) | University accommodation prices for 52 weeks (about AUD 320 and AUD 380 a week) | Rs 17.63 lakh / Rs 20.94 lakh a year | Adelaide University Accommodation Guide (July 2026) |
| Perth | AUD 595 a week sample budget (shared rent AUD 350, groceries AUD 80, transport AUD 15); renting a room AUD 294–659 a week | Sample weekly student budget and rent range | Rs 63,100 a week (budget) | StudyPerth, linked from the University of Western Australia |
| Canberra | From AUD 319 to from AUD 629 a week | ANU on-campus residences; the linked fee summary is for 2027 | Rs 33,800–66,700 a week | Australian National University: compare residences |
| Hobart | No figure published in text | The University of Tasmania and Study Tasmania send students to the Study Australia cost of living calculator | – | University of Tasmania; Study Tasmania |
| Anywhere (visa) | AUD 29,710 a year | Minimum to show for the student visa | Rs 31.48 lakh | LIN 19/198; ACU living costs page |
For Sydney, see our separate Sydney student cost of living 2026 guide.
What each city’s figures tell you
Melbourne. The University of Melbourne publishes median weekly rents for Metropolitan Melbourne: AUD 475 for a one-bedroom flat, AUD 575 for a two-bedroom flat and AUD 550 for a three-bedroom house. A one-bedroom flat at the median comes to about AUD 24,700 a year in rent alone, almost the whole visa amount. Most students share, which makes it much cheaper per person, but the median shows how quickly living alone eats a budget.
Brisbane. The University of Queensland gives the most detailed breakdown of any university here. Private rents start from AUD 564 a week for a whole one-bedroom apartment, AUD 345 per person in a three-bedroom share, and AUD 170 in a bigger share house. UQ estimates total costs of AUD 1,326 to 3,739 a month for a student living off campus, and AUD 2,784 to 4,327 a month for a student in an on-campus college. It also notes that Translink public transport fares in South East Queensland are capped at 50 cents a trip.
Adelaide. Adelaide University’s July 2026 accommodation guide lists yearly prices instead of weekly ones. A room in a shared house at Mattanya Student Residence is AUD 16,640 for 52 weeks in 2027, and a bedroom with a shared bathroom at Adelaide University Village is AUD 19,760. Private studio prices in the guide run from about AUD 28,000 to 31,000 a year, so a studio costs about as much as the whole visa amount.
Perth. The University of Western Australia says Perth is one of Australia’s most affordable capital cities and links to StudyPerth for numbers. StudyPerth’s sample budget is AUD 595 a week: AUD 350 rent for a shared place in the city, AUD 80 for groceries and AUD 15 for public transport. Over 52 weeks that is about AUD 30,940, slightly above the visa minimum, and it does not include phone, clothes or emergencies.
Canberra. ANU’s on-campus residences start from AUD 319 a week (Burton & Garran Hall) and go up to from AUD 629 a week (Burgmann College). Study Australia notes that Canberra has more purpose-built student accommodation per person than any other Australian city and that the two major universities guarantee accommodation.
Hobart. Neither the University of Tasmania nor Study Tasmania publishes cost figures in text. Both point to the Study Australia cost of living calculator. The university’s Hobart campus page says its students can currently travel free on Metro Tasmania bus routes. Ask the university’s accommodation team for current rents before you commit.
How to build your own budget, step by step
- Start with rent. Use your university’s own accommodation page for your campus and multiply the weekly rent by 52.
- Add food and transport. Use the university’s figures if it publishes them (UQ and StudyPerth do), or the Study Australia calculator.
- Add fixed costs. These include Overseas Student Health Cover (UQ estimates AUD 1,200 to 1,400 a year), books (UQ says AUD 1,212 on average a year), a phone plan and a rental bond (up to four weeks’ rent in Queensland, and usually no more than one month’s rent in Victoria).
- Compare with AUD 29,710. If your total is higher, plan for the higher number. The visa amount is only what you must show.
- Convert to rupees with our student visa money calculator, and add a cushion for exchange-rate changes.
- Count part-time income carefully. Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours a fortnight during study periods. Don’t plan to pay first-semester rent from wages you haven’t earned yet.
For Nepali students and families
- The visa amount in rupees. AUD 29,710 is about Rs 31.48 lakh at the 17 Oct 2026 NRB selling rate. Course fees, travel and OSHC are on top of that.
- First-month cash. You usually pay a bond and your first rent before you get the keys. In Queensland the bond can be up to four weeks’ rent, so a AUD 345-a-week room in Brisbane can mean a AUD 1,380 bond (about Rs 1.46 lakh) on top of the first rent payment. Our renting guide explains bonds by state.
- Regional study. Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Hobart can bring extra post-study benefits as well as lower rents. See Australia regional study benefits.
- Sending money. Plan how your family will send money for rent before you fly, and keep the NOC and bank paperwork together.
Common mistakes
- Budgeting only AUD 29,710. On the official figures, a single student living alone in Melbourne would spend most of that on rent.
- Comparing figures that measure different things. A median flat rent, a share-house starting price and on-campus college fees are not the same thing.
- Forgetting the bond and first rent. These are due before you move in.
- Counting on a job in week one. You cannot work before your course starts, and finding a job takes time.
- Using old blog numbers. Study Australia says its own calculator figures were last updated in November 2023. Your university’s current page is a better guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to live in Australia as a student in 2026?
For the visa, AUD 29,710 a year for a single student (about Rs 31.48 lakh). Actual costs vary by city and are often higher, especially if you live alone.
Which Australian city is cheapest for international students?
No official source ranks the cities. On the official figures above, shared housing in Brisbane and Perth and university housing in Adelaide cost less than a one-bedroom flat in Melbourne. Compare the same type of housing in each city.
Is AUD 29,710 enough to live in Melbourne?
Only if you share. The median rent for a one-bedroom flat in Metropolitan Melbourne is AUD 475 a week, about AUD 24,700 a year before food and transport.
How much is rent in Brisbane for students?
UQ lists private shared rooms from AUD 345 a week in a three-bedroom share and from AUD 170 in a bigger share house. A whole one-bedroom apartment starts from AUD 564 a week.
Does the living cost amount include tuition fees?
No. The AUD 29,710 covers living costs only. You must also show your course fees and travel costs.
Your next step
Work out your total in rupees · Student work hours: 48 per fortnight explained
Related guides
- Australia Student Visa Refusal Reasons and What to Do Next
- Australia Student Visa Work Hours: 48 per Fortnight Explained
- Australia Nursing Pathway for Nepali Nurses: AHPRA Steps 2026
- Australian Student Visa From Nepal: How to Apply (Subclass 500)
Sources
- LIN 19/198: Evidence of financial capacity for Subclass 500 visas – Federal Register of Legislation
- Living costs for international students – Australian Catholic University
- Living and education costs – Study Australia
- Cost of living in Melbourne – University of Melbourne
- Cost of living in Brisbane – University of Queensland
- Accommodation Guide – Adelaide University
- Cost of living in Perth – University of Western Australia
- Cost of living in Perth – StudyPerth
- Compare residences – Australian National University
- Hobart campus – University of Tasmania
- Living expenses – Study Tasmania
- Canberra – Study Australia
Last checked: 20 October 2026. This is general information, not financial or immigration advice. Prices change; check your university’s current figures and Home Affairs before you apply.
Responses