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The Lucky Dumpling Market in Adelaide. Credit: South Australian Tourism Commission.
There are incredible benefits to studying in smaller student cities in Australia (also known as regional cities or centres). But it’s not just the relaxed lifestyle, unique environments and friendly communities in smaller cities that attract many international students each year. There are also some financial advantages.
If you're thinking of studying in Australia, here’s a guide to help you understand how much your everyday life might cost if you choose a smaller city.
What are the smaller cities of Australia?
In general terms, smaller cities and major towns are those located outside of Australia’s major cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane).
The map below shows all the places across Australia where you can study:
The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs have created categories for the cities of Australia. This serves as a guide for the different incentives that are offered for studying in smaller cities and regional centres. For example, one of these incentives is additional post study work rights.
Cost of living
Some smaller student cities will have a similar cost of living to the major cities. But most do have more affordable rental accommodation, transport and entertainment options.
The cost of groceries won’t change too much from city to city across Australia, especially if you shop at one of the major supermarkets that operates nationally. However, you can usually find local markets with cheaper fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products.
How to research the cost of living in smaller cities
It’s very important to understand how much it costs to live in Australia so that you can plan to have enough money while you study.
1. Get an estimate of your salary
Start by working out how much money you could earn by working while you study, in line with your student visa conditions. Here are some ways to get an estimate of your potential earnings:
- Go to a job search site such as SEEK.com and look at part-time and casual jobs that you could do when studying. Some ads will offer a salary guide.
- Find out what the minimum wage is in Australia.
There are some important things to keep in mind:
- It might take you some time to find a job.
- You might not make as much money as you expected.
- You can only work up to 48 hours in a fortnight during study terms and semesters (unlimited during study breaks).
That’s why it’s important to come to Australia with some savings.
2. Use the Cost of Living Calculator
You can get an estimate of the cost of living in the major regional cities (Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Darwin and Hobart) using our Cost of living calculator. The major cities (Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney) are also included in this tool so you can compare costs with some of the smaller student cities.
3. Chat to international students in Australia
Chat to student ambassadors on our site and ask them directly about cost of living.
4. Work out your weekly grocery costs
Check out the websites for major grocery stores in Australia such as Coles, Aldi and Woolworths to get an idea of how much your weekly groceries would cost.
5. Compare accommodation costs
When choosing where to study, accommodation is one of the most important considerations. The good news is that smaller student cities often have a wider variety of housing options and less competition for rental accommodation.
To get an idea of accommodation costs:
- Research rentals on realestate.com.au
- Research shared living on sites such as Flatmate Finders
- Shortlist some education providers and enquire about their student accommodation costs.
Search for courses in smaller cities
Start your education journey to Australia today. Use our Course Search tool to look at courses in the smaller cities. You can also use our university list as a guide.
There are also many scholarships available in smaller cities. Find out more here.
We hope to see you in Australia soon!
