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Cost of Living in Australia

Cost of living in Australia
A Complete Guide To

Cost of Living in Australia

Chapter 1

Overview

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.With an area of 7,617,930 square kilometers (2,941,300 sq mi). Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country. It is a megadiverse country, and its size gives it a wide variety of landscapes and climates, with deserts in the center, tropical rainforests in the north-east, and mountain ranges in the south-east.

Australia is one of the popular countries for students planning to study abroad among the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The students are worried about the cost that they will incur when they travel to Australia. We have compiled all the expenses that the students will incur when they travel, the best universities and their jobs available in Australia.

Chapter 2

Cost of living in Australia :

There are different factors that make up the total expenses spent per month in Australia. The below are some of the major expenses that students or people planning to stay in Australia have to be aware of before going there.

Factors

Average Cost Per Month

Amount in INR

Accommodation

A$1200-A$2000

66250-110430

Food & Groceries

A$350-A$600

19320-33130

Transportation

A$120-A$150

6625-8285

Household Bills

A$40-A$50

2210-2760

Entertainment

A$40-A$50

2210-2760

Miscellaneous

A$150-A$300

8285-16565

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Accommodation :

In Australia, the accommodation represents the largest portion of your living expenses, and it accounts for the majority of your outgoing costs. The living costs vary from the location and the type of housing the students are choosing. Students have a variety of housing alternatives to select from, including individual apartments, communal housing, dorms, university residence halls, and shared apartments. The most preferred kind of housing for overseas students is student housing or apartments.

Here is an overview of the typical rent for several student accommodation alternatives.

Type of Accommodation

Average Rent

Amount in INR

Students Housing

A$450 - A$1100/ month

24850-60735

Shared Apartment

A$600 - A$1500/ month

33130-82820

Single Apartment/Studio

A$1200 - A$2000/ month

66250-110430

The cost of living can vary from different cities in Australia and the prices of houses and apartments are also in constant change due to demand and the location. Below are some of the major cities and the average cost of living in those cities.

City

A$/month

Hobart

A$1936

Wollongong

A$1968

Adelaide

A$2032

Gold Coast

A$2048

Brisbane

A$2132

Canberra

A$2228

Perth

A$2240

Melbourne

A$2260

Darwin

A$2272

Sydney

A$2548

Food and Groceries :

Food is an essential part of our lives and we have to spend another major part of our income or expense on food. The food prices are relatively the same across different cities in Australia and the average prices for common products are listed below.

Products

Cost

Amt in INR

Bread (1 pack)

A$3.02

166

1 liter Milk

A$1.83

101

Chicken Filets (1 Kg)

A$11.34

625

12 Eggs

A$5.07

280

Fruits

A$3.45

190

Vegetables

A$2.30

127

Rice

A$2.79

154

Local Cheese (1 kg)

A$11.15

615

1 affordable restaurant meal

A$20.00

1105

Transportation :

Commuting within the city for work or for classes are factors that need to be calculated when looking at the costs incurred per month. There are different discounts that the students get when they are in universities for buses or trains which can make the cost a little cheaper. 

Australian transportation has all modes of transport and they are very accessible to almost all the students with cash or in some places with an Opal card that gives discounts. The students can allo get discounts with their student card at some places while using public transportation.

Mode of Transport

Ticket Fare

Train

A$3.5-A$8.9

Bus

A$2.2-A$4.7

Ferry

A$6.1-A$7.5

Rail

A$2.2-A$3.6

Household bills :

When residing in Australia, there are a number of expenses that arise namely electricity, water, cellphone, and other utility bills should all be paid on time. The majority of the time, the rent already includes all of these expenses, but in the event that it doesn’t, you must take into account the cost of various expenses while living in Australia. The insurance might be a little cheaper if the student is enrolled in the insurance through the university rather than the private insurance companies. 

Bills

Average Cost Per Month

Mobile & Internet

A$40-A$100

Gas / Water/ Electricity

A$50-A$100

TV Subscriptions

A$13

Insurance

A$67

Entertainment :

There are many other things that students can do other than just studying, going to college and working. The social aspect of life is also very important for everyone since it helps build connections and helps the student meet a lot of people and engage in the culture of the country. It also boosts the productivity of the students since they are more relaxed and have a healthy work life balance.

Below are some of the popular entertainment activities or options that the students prefer.

Entertainment Options

Average Cost

Movie Tickets

A$15.46

Sports

A$15-A$20 / month

Dinner at a restaurant for two

A$30-A$50

Concert tickets

A$80-A$100

Amusement park tickets 

A$40

Miscellaneous :

Last but not least, miscellaneous expenses are something that cannot be avoided. The books for colleges and universities other day to day items like toothbrush, paste and body wash. The shopping expense is an average estimate of a student when buying clothes and other things that are not branded or designer clothes. Below are the major miscellaneous expenses that the students will incur during their stay in Australia.

Miscellaneous Items

Average Costs

Shopping

A$80-A$100

Household Items

A$30

Books & Stationery

A$15-A$30

Toiletries

A$25

Other

A$80-A$100

Cost of MBA in Australia

Cost of the universities is something to consider when choosing the place and the location. There are multiple universities in Australia that are ranked among the top 100 globally and the price for MBA in those universities on average is A$54000

Australian Business Schools  

QS Subject Ranking 2022 (Global MBA)

Melbourne Business School  

#26

UNSW Sydney Business School 

#35

Monash Business School

#73

Macquarie Business School  

#84

UQ Business School  

#94  

UWA Business School 

#111-120

ANU Business School

#131-140

UTS Business School  

#127  

RMIT School of Business

#151-200  


 

 

UniSA Business School

UTS Business School 

La Trobe Business School

#201-250


 

Victoria University

Tips to save money :

Cooking at home

A great way to save money every month is to prepare all the meals at home since the cost of purchasing the meals outside is much more expensive than at home. This method of buying food outside might sound like an easier method but it hurts both financially and physically. The food expenses are relatively higher in Australia compared to the United States of America or the United Kingdom.

Using public transportation

Public transportation is a great way to travel across the country and it is easier to use for commuting to classes since the public transportation system is much better regulated and accessible throughout Australia. There are four modes of transportation in Australia for commuting namely ferries, cars, metro and the train.

Sharing the room with a roommate

The cost of living in Australia is relatively high compared to other countries but the expense can be reduced if the student can share the apartment with a friend or share the house with someone else. This reduces the cost of electricity, water and the internet bills at the end of the month.

Student Discounts

The students are offered extensive discounts when traveling in the country for a lot of the public transportation, museums, parks and a few food places. If the discounts are used feasibly then it adds up to quite a large amount at the end.

Part time jobs

The part time jobs act as a supplement income for students that want the extra cash to spend on other things or going out with friends. The students can earn anywhere from  A$15 – A$20 per hour working part time.

Most popular cities in Australia :

Sydney

 Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia’s east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbor and extends about 70 km (43.5 mi) towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. The 2021 census recorded the population of Greater Sydney as 5,231,150. Nicknames of the city include the ‘Emerald City’ and the ‘Harbor City’.

Melbourne    

Melbourne is the capital and most-populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a 9,993 km2 (3,858 sq mi) metropolitan area known as Greater Melbourne. It has a population over 5 million, mostly residing to the east side of the city center. It has various top rated universities including the University of Melbourne and RMIT University.

Brisbane    

Brisbane is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the center of the South East Queensland metropolitan region, which encompasses a population of around 3.8 million.

Perth   

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia (WA). It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. The city contains a lot of historic buildings and is a place of many important public buildings such as the Parliament House, Government House and the Supreme Court.

Adelaide

Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia, the state’s largest city and the fifth-most populous city of Australia. “Adelaide” may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city center. The Traditional Owners of the Adelaide region are the Kaurna people. The area of the city center is called Tarndanya in the Kaurna language. The city is known for its festivals and the food that a lot of people visit to enjoy.

Average salary in Australia per year

The cost of living in Australia is a little more expensive compared to other countries so the earning conditions are also similarly higher than other countries. The average per hour job in Australia is A$19 so the graduates get paid a little more than the average.

  • Dishwasher: $45,000
  • Waiter: $45,000
  • Pizza maker: $47,000
  • Bricklayer: $52,000
  • Mechanic: $53,000
  • Farm Job: $54,000
  • Trucker: $56,000
  • Tiler: $57,000
  • Architect: $60,000
  • Teacher: $76,000
  • Nurse: $80,000
  • Engineer: $82,000
  • Miner: $100,000
  • Doctor: $110,000

Conclusion

Australia is one of the preferred countries for studies as well and for work by a lot of people traveling abroad because of the top universities and job opportunities for students. The country is also relaxed in the visa process and it is much easier to get a work or study permit in Australia compared to the United States.

Hope you are now ready to move to Australia!

Good Luck.

Sources :

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