Cost Of Living For a Student in Australia 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: AUD
Average monthly spending for students in Australia
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Australia?
Students in Australia spend around 3,100 AUD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 480 AUD or as high as 21,000 AUD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Australia
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 17,000 AUD | 34,000 AUD | 45,000 AUD |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 560 AUD | 840 AUD | 2,300 AUD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 840 AUD | 1,400 AUD | 3,400 AUD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1,100 AUD | 1,700 AUD | 4,500 AUD |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 110,000 AUD | 170,000 AUD | 340,000 AUD |
| $73,000 | $110,000 | $220,000 |
1-bedroom apartment
| 140,000 AUD | 230,000 AUD | 840,000 AUD |
| $88,000 | $150,000 | $550,000 |
2-bedroom apartment
| 230,000 AUD | 680,000 AUD | 1.4M AUD |
| $150,000 | $440,000 | $880,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 680 AUD | 840 AUD | 1,100 AUD |
Double Bed
Single Bed
Living Room
| 750 AUD | 960 AUD | 3,400 AUD |
Dining Table
Sofa or Couch
| 450 AUD | 610 AUD | 1,400 AUD |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 450 AUD | 680 AUD | 1,400 AUD |
Fridge or Freezer
Washing Machine
| 520 AUD | 750 AUD | 1,400 AUD |
Stove or Cooker
Mobile Phone
Laptop or Computer
| 610 AUD | 750 AUD | 1,400 AUD |
How do students spend their money in Australia?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost21%
21% of total expenses on average (16% to 27%)
| LOW | $74 110 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $480 740 AUD |
| HIGH | $3,200 4,900 AUD |
| Per Month |
Students in Australia typically spend from 16% to 27% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 21% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 740 AUD with expenditure ranging from 110 AUD to 4,900 AUD. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities5%
5% of total expenses on average (3% to 9%)
| LOW | $12 19 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $80 120 AUD |
| HIGH | $530 820 AUD |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Australia ranges from 3% to 9% of total expenses with 5% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 120 AUD with 19 AUD and 820 AUD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel6%
6% of total expenses on average (5% to 12%)
| LOW | $22 33 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $140 220 AUD |
| HIGH | $930 1,400 AUD |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 33 AUD to 1,400 AUD in a month on commuting with 220 AUD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 6% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 12%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost21%
21% of total expenses on average (15% to 25%)
| LOW | $62 95 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $400 620 AUD |
| HIGH | $2,700 4,100 AUD |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Australia is 620 AUD. The cost of groceries can range between 95 AUD to 4,100 AUD. Students spend on average about 21% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 15% and 25% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare7%
7% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $19 29 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $120 180 AUD |
| HIGH | $800 1,200 AUD |
| Per Month |
Students in Australia allocate 4% to 10% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 7%. The range of medical expenses range from 29 AUD to 1,200 AUD with 180 AUD being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping4%
4% of total expenses on average (2% to 8%)
| LOW | $15 24 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $100 150 AUD |
| HIGH | $670 1,000 AUD |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 24 AUD to 1,000 AUD with 150 AUD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 8% of total expenses with an average of 4% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling19%
19% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $59 91 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $380 580 AUD |
| HIGH | $2,500 3,900 AUD |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 580 AUD per month with 91 AUD being the minimum spent amount and 3,900 AUD being the maximum.
Other Expenses17%
17% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $46 72 AUD |
| AVERAGE | $300 460 AUD |
| HIGH | $2,000 3,100 AUD |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Australia
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Australia?
Around 78% of surveyed students think that living in Australia is affordable with proper budgeting while 22% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Australia
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options61%
Few low-cost options39%
Based on the survey, 61% of the students living in Australia have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 39% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Australia whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes75%
No25%
Based on the survey, 25% of the students living in Australia said that they don't have an emergency fund while 75% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Australia
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy73%
We asked student guardians and parents in Australia whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 27% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 73% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Australia have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 27% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 73% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance27%
Easily manages finances73%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Australia
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Australia
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 560 AUD | 840 AUD | 2,300 AUD |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 840 AUD | 1,400 AUD | 3,400 AUD |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,100 AUD | 1,700 AUD | 4,500 AUD |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,400 AUD | 2,300 AUD | 6,100 AUD |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,700 AUD | 6,800 AUD | 14,000 AUD |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 2,300 AUD | 3,400 AUD | 9,600 AUD |
House monthly rent cost
| 2,700 AUD | 6,800 AUD | 14,000 AUD |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 3,400 AUD | 8,400 AUD | 14,000 AUD |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Australia ranges between 560 AUD and 2,300 AUD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 840 AUD to 3,400 AUD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 1,100 AUD and 4,500 AUD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 1,400 AUD to 6,100 AUD. The average rent of a townhouse in Australia is around 3,400 AUD while house rental costs can be as high as 6,800 AUD per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 3,400 AUD to 14,000 AUD per month.
Apartment and house prices in Australia
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 110,000 AUD | 170,000 AUD | 340,000 AUD |
| $73,000 | $110,000 | $220,000 |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 140,000 AUD | 230,000 AUD | 840,000 AUD |
| $88,000 | $150,000 | $550,000 |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 230,000 AUD | 680,000 AUD | 1.4M AUD |
| $150,000 | $440,000 | $880,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 750,000 AUD | 1.1M AUD | 3.4M AUD |
Townhouse price
| 960,000 AUD | 2.3M AUD | 8.4M AUD |
House price
| 1.1M AUD | 6.8M AUD | 9.6M AUD |
Villa price
| 1.4M AUD | 7.5M AUD | 11M AUD |
The average price of a studio apartment in Australia can range from 110,000 AUD to 340,000 AUD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 140,000 AUD to 840,000 AUD. A villa can cost you 7.5M AUD on average with prices ranging from 1.4M AUD to 11M AUD.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Australia will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 42 | x123 monthly income | 214 |
Property prices in Australia can be x123 to x214 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x123 multiples of the average monthly salary in Australia.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Australia is around 32%. This means that people pay 32% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 22% to 42% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
30% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
| 9.5 AUD | 120 AUD | 1,200 AUD |
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Australia
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Australia
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 120 AUD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 34 AUD to 90 AUD with 68 AUD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 45 AUD but can range between 27 AUD and 140 AUD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Australia is around 5%. This means that people pay 5% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2% to 9% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Australia
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Australia
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Australia is approximatly 14 AUD with meal cost ranging from 6.8 AUD to 23 AUD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 23 AUD and 68 AUD with 34 AUD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Australia.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 45 AUD to 270 AUD with the average cost being 68 AUD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Australia.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Australia is around 9 AUD. Price ranges between 5.6 AUD and 14 AUD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Australia is 5.4 AUD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 6.8 AUD and the minimum being 4.5 AUD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 4.5 AUD on average with 3.4 AUD and 6.8 AUD being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Australia is between 7.7 AUD and 14 AUD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 9.9 AUD.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 14 AUD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Australia costs around 5 AUD on average with prices rangeing between 3.6 AUD and 7 AUD depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 1.4 AUD to 3.4 AUD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 3.2 AUD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Australia is around 25%. This means that students spend 25% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 17% to 31% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 95 AUD to 4,100 AUD with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
