Australia

How much does it cost to live in Australia per month in 2026?

Compare accommodation options and see how much to set aside for food, transport and leisure if you’re planning to study in Australia.

Updated on November 11, 2026

Thinking about moving to Australia? Having an idea of your monthly spending will help you plan your trip. Your budget will depend mainly on the city, neighbourhood, type of accommodation and how much you want to spend on food, transport and leisure.

Sharing a bedroom can help you save on rent. If you’d prefer a room of your own, you can still share a house and split the bills with other people. Below, we’ve outlined examples of both options to help you work out your budget.

All prices are in Australian dollars (AUD) and are per person, except where we state the total price for a room.

Accommodation: sharing a bedroom and sharing a house are different

These estimates will help you compare your options. For shared bedrooms, the price is per bed; for private rooms, it’s for having the bedroom to yourself.

Type of accommodation	Estimated weekly cost	What you’re paying for
Shared bedroom	AUD 200–300 per person	A bed in a bedroom you share with another person.
Private bedroom in a share house	AUD 190–500 per person	Your own bedroom, with shared communal areas.
Hostel	Nightly rate, depending on dates and room type	A bed in a shared dorm or a private room. Useful for your first few weeks.
Your own studio	AUD 400–750	A self-contained home with its own sleeping area, kitchen and bathroom. The price is for the whole studio, rather than a bed, and varies by city and area.

When comparing listings, check whether the price is per person, per bed or for the whole room. For example, if a bedroom for two costs AUD 400 per week in total, that would be AUD 200 each if you split it equally. If the listing says AUD 400 per person, that’s what each of you would pay.

Rent is usually advertised weekly. To work out a monthly average, multiply by 52 and divide by 12. That makes AUD 200 per week about AUD 867 per month, and AUD 350 per week about AUD 1,517.

How do room prices vary between cities?

City	Private bedroom in a share house
Perth	AUD 240–350 per person per week
Melbourne	AUD 190–425 per person per week
Brisbane	AUD 220–400 per person per week
Gold Coast	AUD 260–450 per person per week
Sydney	AUD 275–500 per person per week

The table compares private bedrooms in share houses. These are approximate ranges from Room Buddy listings checked in October 2026; which bills are included will depend on the property.

The neighbourhood and the journey to your school will help you choose between options in each city.

You can widen your search with Flatmates.com.au or Flatmate Finders.

Reusable bag with fresh vegetables on a table

Food: groceries and eating out

If you cook at home, groceries can cost around AUD 80–100 per week, or about AUD 347–433 per month, according to RMIT’s 2026 estimates. You can shop at supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths or Aldi and mix own-brand items with the products you enjoy.

For eating out, a meal at a restaurant or pub can cost roughly AUD 23–32. It helps to keep your grocery budget separate from what you spend at restaurants and cafés.

In the budgets below, we allow AUD 400 for groceries, including a small amount for toiletries and cleaning products. You can adjust that example to suit your usual shopping.

Transport: fares and free options

What you spend will depend on your destination and the distance between home and school. Here are a few examples to help you plan:

Brisbane and the Gold Coast: trips on the Translink network cost AUD 0.50. For example, 40 trips in a month would total AUD 20. Airtrain, which links Brisbane Airport with the city and the Gold Coast, has its own fares and isn’t included in the AUD 0.50 fare.
Sydney: adult Opal fares are capped at AUD 50 per week, equivalent to about AUD 217 per month if you reach the cap every week. Airport station access fees are extra.
Melbourne: tram travel is free if your entire journey is within the Free Tram Zone in the city centre.
Perth: CAT buses are free. Sunday travel on the Transperth network is also free with SmartRider or contactless payment, as long as you tag on and off.

Students and other passengers can use these free zones and services. Some international students also qualify for concessions, depending on their course and institution. Your school can help you understand which options apply to you.

Your phone, household bills and leisure

Set aside a monthly amount for your phone and choose a plan with the data you need. We use AUD 30 in our examples.

Electricity, water, gas and internet may be included in your rent or split between the people in the house. If they’re included, those costs are already covered by your room price.

Leave room to enjoy your time in Australia too: coffees, dinners, sport or day trips. Start with an amount for leisure and adjust it as you settle into your routine. Budget separately for longer trips.

Your monthly budget at a glance

This table brings your monthly costs together in one budget. Rent is shown as a range so you can see how the total changes if you share a bedroom or have a private room.

We use two rent examples: AUD 200 per person per week for a shared bedroom and AUD 350 for a private bedroom in a share house. The rest of the budget assumes you usually cook at home and get around without a car. These figures are for planning, rather than offers for a particular city.

Monthly expense	Amount per person (AUD)
Rent: shared or private bedroom	867–1,517
Household bills and internet	100
Groceries, toiletries and cleaning products	400
Transport	150
Phone	30
Eating out, cafés and leisure	250
Clothes and other shopping	100
Allowance for unexpected costs	200
MONTHLY TOTAL	AUD 2,097–2,747

With these rent examples, the total would be around AUD 2,097 per month if you share a bedroom, or AUD 2,747 with a private room. That gives you a starting point for deciding where you’d like to save and where you’d prefer to spend a little more.

The total covers the items in the table. Your course, health insurance, visa and flights are arranged separately.

What to budget for in your first few weeks

When you arrive, you’ll have some payments that sit outside your usual monthly spending. Keeping them separate will make planning easier:

Your first accommodation: we recommend booking a hostel for your first two weeks. You can look for a room from there and meet other students who’ve just arrived.
Bond and rent in advance: set aside the amount stated in your agreement. The bond is held as a deposit and refunded according to the conditions that apply.
Getting set up: allow for your airport transfer and any initial purchases, such as bedding if you need it.
Money to get started: having funds available will help you settle in and look for work while you get to know the city.

For a room offered by a private individual, we recommend visiting before booking or paying. You can arrange a hostel, hotel, student residence or holiday rental for your first nights before leaving home.

If you’d like help planning a budget for your stay, we can help you compare destinations and courses. Once you know your school and accommodation preferences, it’ll be easier to put figures to your plans.

Frequently asked questions

1. How much do I need each month to live in Australia?

In this guide’s examples, the budget is around AUD 2,097 for a shared bedroom or AUD 2,747 for a private room in a share house. Use them as a starting point and adjust rent, transport and leisure spending to suit your destination.

2. Does sharing a house mean sharing a bedroom?

No. You can have a bedroom to yourself and share the kitchen, living room or bathroom. Sharing a bedroom means sleeping in the same room as someone else.

3. Is rent quoted per week or per month?

It’s usually advertised weekly. To calculate a monthly average, multiply the weekly amount by 52 and divide by 12. Check whether the price is per person or for the whole room too.

4. Is there free public transport for students?

There are free services, such as trams within Melbourne’s Free Tram Zone and Perth’s CAT buses, that other passengers can use too. Student concessions depend on your destination, course and institution.

5. Will working while I study help with my expenses?

Yes, a job can help with expenses and give you experience in Australia. The amount will depend on the job, your shifts and your visa conditions. We recommend arriving with your own funds and adding earnings to your budget once they’re confirmed.