Dhiraj Kandel
Managing DirectorSchedule a free consultation with our expert counselors to discuss your study
Quick answer
The essentials at a glance
As an international student, you can plan your cost of living in Australia once you choose your city and room. Those two choices decide most of the budget, and most Nepali students spend about AUD 1,600 to 4,000 a month, which is about Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh. The visa asks you to show AUD 29,710 for a year, about Rs 27 lakh, but students in Sydney often spend more. Rent takes almost half, so sharing a house and cooking at home save the most. Part-time work helps later, but plan to cover your first months from savings.
Key takeaways
Main points from this page
- A single student in Australia usually spends about AUD 365 to 920 a week on living costs, about Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh a month.
- Home Affairs asks you to show AUD 29,710 for a year of living costs, which is about Rs 27 lakh.
- A room in a shared house costs about AUD 170 to 400 a week, and rent is the largest part of the budget.
- Your first month can cost AUD 2,500 to 5,800 extra for the bond, rent in advance and household items.
- From 1 July 2026, the minimum wage is AUD 26.44 an hour, and you can work 48 hours a fortnight during term.
What Does a Month in Australia Cost a Nepali Student?
Most Nepali students in Australia spend about AUD 1,600 to 4,000 a month on living costs, which is about Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh.
The cost of living in Australia per month depends mostly on two choices: the city you study in and the kind of room you rent. A student sharing a house in Brisbane or Adelaide sits near the lower end, while a student living alone in Sydney can pass the top. These living expenses in Australia for international students are separate from tuition, which you can see on our total cost to study in Australia from Nepal page.
All amounts here are in Australian dollars (AUD), because that is how landlords, shops and universities charge. Rupee figures are rounded, so check the rate on the day with our AUD to Rs forex converter. This page is part of our guide to study in Australia from Nepal.
- Rent is the biggest cost: a room in a shared house usually costs AUD 170 to 400 a week.
- Food is the cost you control most: cooking dal bhat at home is far cheaper than eating out.
- The visa figure is a minimum: Home Affairs counts AUD 29,710 a year, about Rs 27 lakh, but many students spend more.
- Work helps, but not at first: plan to pay your first two or three months from savings.
How Much Is the Cost of Living in Australia for International Students per Year?
For one year, plan on about AUD 30,000 to 40,000 for a shared room in a big city, which is about Rs 27 to 37 lakh.
The Australian government asks every student visa applicant to show at least AUD 29,710 for 12 months of living costs. That figure, from the Home Affairs student visa (subclass 500) page, is about Rs 27 lakh, or roughly Rs 2.25 lakh a month. Keep in mind that it is the amount the visa officer counts, not a promise of what a year will cost. Study Australia itself says that actual living costs may be much higher than the visa amount.
University estimates show why. The living cost in Australia for international students changes a lot with the type of room, as this table from UNSW Sydney and ANU in Canberra shows.
| How you live | Yearly cost (AUD) | About in Rs | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| University college room, meals included (44 weeks) | 22,220 to 34,440 | Rs 20 to 31 lakh | UNSW Sydney |
| Room in a shared house | 30,680 to 40,560 | Rs 28 to 37 lakh | UNSW Sydney |
| One-bedroom flat on your own | 40,820 to 69,420 | Rs 37 to 63 lakh | UNSW Sydney |
| Basic living costs in Canberra, 2026 | 33,000 to 39,000 | Rs 30 to 35 lakh | ANU |
| Visa minimum for one person | 29,710 | Rs 27 lakh | Home Affairs |
So when a parent in Nepal asks about yearly expenses in Australia, the honest answer is this. A sharing student in a cheaper city can live close to the visa figure. A student who lives alone in Sydney will need much more. If you want to test your own plan, the Study Australia cost of living calculator lets you pick a city, room type and lifestyle. Its prices were last updated in November 2023, so add a little for rises since then.
For how to show this money from Nepal, with bank statements, a sponsor or an education loan, see our Australia student visa financial documents guide.
What Each Living Cost Looks Like Week by Week
A single student usually spends about AUD 365 to 920 a week, and rent takes almost half of it.
This table adds up the cost of living in Australia for students item by item. The ranges come from the weekly budgets published by UNSW, UQ, Flinders and ANU, so they cover both cheaper and dearer cities. Use the low end if you share a room and cook at home. Use the high end if you live near the city centre and eat out often.
| Item (one student) | Per week (AUD) | Per month (AUD) | About in Rs a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared house | 170 to 400 | 740 to 1,730 | Rs 67 thousand to 1.6 lakh |
| Food and groceries | 100 to 250 | 430 to 1,080 | Rs 39 to 98 thousand |
| Electricity, gas and water | 25 to 70 | 110 to 300 | Rs 10 to 27 thousand |
| Phone and internet | 15 to 45 | 65 to 195 | Rs 6 to 18 thousand |
| Public transport | 5 to 55 | 20 to 240 | Rs 2 to 22 thousand |
| Personal and free time | 50 to 100 | 215 to 430 | Rs 20 to 39 thousand |
| Total | 365 to 920 | 1,580 to 3,990 | Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh |
Here is what sits behind each line, and where Nepali students usually save or overspend.
Rent
The cost of living in Australia with rent included is mostly a question of where you sleep. UQ lists a room in a bigger share house near its Brisbane campus from AUD 170 a week, and a share in a 3-bedroom house from AUD 345. UNSW puts a share house in Sydney at about AUD 290 a week, while a one-bedroom flat costs AUD 470 to 830.
Most landlords also ask for a bond of up to four weeks’ rent and two weeks in advance before you move in. Many Nepali students first stay with a friend or a short booking, then find a shared house once they know the area. Our student accommodation in Australia guide explains each type of room.
Food and groceries
Food is where your habits matter most. Flinders University puts groceries at AUD 60 to 100 a week in Adelaide. UNSW puts food at AUD 120 to 250 a week in Sydney, because its figure includes eating out.
Rice, lentils, vegetables and chicken are easy to find, and Indian and Nepali grocery shops sell masala, gundruk and other things from home. UQ lists 1 kg of white rice at about AUD 3.38, while one fast food meal costs about AUD 18. That is why students who cook together in a shared house spend far less than those who buy lunch every day.
Public transport
Fares depend on the state, and discounts for international students are not the same everywhere. Queensland has 50 cent fares, so UQ puts transport from about AUD 23 a month, and Darwin sells a weekly student ticket for AUD 7. In Adelaide, some full-time international students can get a concession metroCard.
In Sydney, most international students pay adult Opal fares, because Transport for NSW concessions cover only students on certain Australian Government scholarships. UNSW puts Sydney transport at about AUD 55 a week if you live off campus. Living near your campus or a train line keeps this cost small.
Electricity, gas and water
Bills are often split between everyone in a shared house. Flinders estimates about AUD 50 a week for a household in Adelaide, and ANU gives AUD 22 to 71 a week for one person in Canberra.
Winters in Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart are cold, and summers in Darwin and Perth are hot, so heaters and air conditioners raise the bill. Ask whether bills are included before you agree to a room, because many student rooms include them in the rent.
Phone and internet
A prepaid SIM with plenty of data costs about AUD 10 to 20 a week, according to UNSW. Home internet is usually shared in a house, so your part stays small.
Most Nepali students keep a cheap plan and call home over the internet. Curtin University puts home internet at about AUD 84 a month and a phone plan at about AUD 25 a month in Perth.
Health cover (OSHC)
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a condition of your visa, so it is a fixed cost for every student. A single policy starts at about AUD 640 a year, and UQ quotes about AUD 1,200 to 1,400 a year for its students. You usually pay it for the whole course before the visa is granted.
Prices, providers and what is covered are on our OSHC Australia page.
Books and course costs
Books, printing and equipment are not part of tuition. UQ puts books and supplies at about AUD 1,212 a year on average, which is about AUD 100 a month.
Nursing, engineering and hospitality students may also need uniforms, boots or tools. Buying used books from senior students, many of them Nepali, and using the library cuts this cost a lot.
Cost of Living in Sydney, Melbourne and Other Cities
Sydney and Canberra cost the most, while Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin let a sharing student live for less.
Each figure below comes from a university in that city, so you can compare like with like. Where the university gives weekly items rather than a total, we have added them up and said so.
| City | Shared room per week (AUD) | Living cost per month (AUD) | About in Rs a month | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 290 | 2,560 to 3,380 | Rs 2.3 to 3.1 lakh | UNSW (share house) |
| Canberra | 312 | 2,750 to 3,250 | Rs 2.5 to 3 lakh | ANU (2026) |
| Melbourne | 150 to 400 | 1,350 to 3,000 | Rs 1.2 to 2.7 lakh | RMIT (our sum) |
| Brisbane | from 170 | 1,330 to 3,740 | Rs 1.2 to 3.4 lakh | UQ (off campus) |
| Adelaide | 150 to 600 | 1,650 to 3,770 | Rs 1.5 to 3.4 lakh | Flinders (our sum) |
| Perth | 250 to 400 | 1,900 to 2,900 | Rs 1.7 to 2.6 lakh | Curtin (our estimate) |
| Darwin | 168 to 250 | 2,000 to 3,700 | Rs 1.8 to 3.4 lakh | CDU (our sum) |
The living cost in Sydney for international students is the highest because rent is high and transport discounts are limited. In Melbourne, the median one-bedroom flat rents for about AUD 500 a week, so sharing makes a big difference there too. Brisbane and the cost of living in Adelaide for international students are lower, which is one reason many Nepali students choose them.
Perth sits in the middle, and Darwin has cheap rooms and transport but high power bills in the hot season. Smaller cities such as Hobart and regional towns usually have lower rent as well. Our guide to the best cities in Australia for Nepali students also looks at jobs and Nepali communities. Our page on regional study in Australia explains the extra benefits of smaller cities.
What You Spend in Your First Month
Your first month costs the most, often AUD 2,500 to 5,800 extra for the bond, rent in advance and things for your room.
ANU lists these setup costs for Canberra in 2026: a rental bond of AUD 1,000 to 2,651 and two weeks’ rent in advance. You also pay to connect power and buy a bed, linen and kitchen things. Together they come to about AUD 2,496 to 5,854, which is about Rs 2.3 to 5.3 lakh. RMIT gives a similar AUD 3,000 to 5,000 for Melbourne.
This money is on top of your normal monthly budget, and you need it before your first pay. Most Nepali families send it with the student or transfer it in the first weeks. Our guide on how much money Nepali students should carry to Australia explains the limits and the safest ways to bring it. Buying used furniture and sharing kitchen things with housemates keeps the setup cost near the lower end.
Cost of Living in Australia for a Couple or Family
Since 2 October 2026, most students cannot bring a partner or children, so plan your living budget for one person.
Under the Home Affairs changes to student visa rules, a partner or child can be included only if the student is exempt. Exempt groups include PhD students, students sponsored by the Australian Government, and holders of some foreign government scholarships. Family members cannot be added after the visa is granted.
If you are exempt, the cost of living in Australia for a couple or a family is much higher. UQ puts a family of 3 (2 adults and 1 child) in Brisbane at AUD 3,755 to 5,461 a month, about Rs 3.4 to 5 lakh. For the visa, Home Affairs adds AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for each child, plus AUD 13,502 a year for each school-age child. So a couple with one child must show about AUD 44,553 a year for living costs, about Rs 40.5 lakh, before school fees.
Our guide to the Australia student visa with spouse or dependants explains who is exempt and what the partner can do.
Can Part-Time Work Cover Your Living Costs?
Steady part-time work can cover much of your monthly living cost, but not your tuition and not your first few months.
Your student visa conditions let you work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is running, and without a limit during official breaks. From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is AUD 26.44 an hour, about 2,400 rupees. If you work the full 48 hours at that rate, you earn about AUD 1,270 a fortnight before tax, about Rs 1.15 lakh.
That looks like enough, but most new students take one to three months to find regular hours. Cafe, cleaning, warehouse and delivery jobs are common, and shifts can drop in quiet periods. Charles Darwin University says plainly that students should not expect to pay for study or living costs from part-time work only.
So bring or arrange enough to live on for at least your first three months, and treat later pay as help, not your whole plan. Read the rules on our working hours for students in Australia page, and see the best part-time jobs in Australia for international students for what students usually do.
Is Australia More Expensive Than Canada, the UK or the USA?
Australia asks for more living money for a year than Canada or the UK, but it also pays students one of the highest minimum wages.
The fairest way to compare is the living amount each government asks a student to show. Australia asks for AUD 29,710 for 12 months. Real costs in every country depend on the city, just as they do in Australia. For a full side-by-side look, read our Australia vs Canada vs UK vs USA comparison for Nepali students.
Australia compared with Canada
Canada asks a single student to show CAD 23,448 for a year of living costs, from 1 September 2026. In both countries, rent in the biggest cities, Sydney and Toronto, takes most of the budget. Nepali students who choose Canada usually find rent lower outside Toronto and Vancouver. See our guide to study in Canada from Nepal for its full costs.
Australia compared with the UK
The UK asks for £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months. That covers a shorter period than Australia’s 12 months, partly because many UK master’s degrees last one year. So the cost of living in Australia compared to the UK is higher over a year, but Australia allows more work hours and pays more per hour. Read more on study in the UK from Nepal.
Australia compared with the USA
The USA does not set one living figure for every student. Each university states its own living cost on the I-20 form, and in big cities such as New York it is often higher than Australia’s AUD 29,710. Students in the USA can usually work only on campus, up to 20 hours a week during term, so they rely more on family funds. See study in the USA from Nepal for details.
How Can Nepali Students Spend Less in Australia?
Sharing a room, cooking at home and choosing a cheaper city can cut your living cost by AUD 1,000 or more a month.
The gap between the low and high ends of the budget table is more than AUD 2,000 a month. Most of it comes from choices you make in your first weeks. These are the steps that make the most difference for Nepali students.
- Share a house or room: a room in a share house costs about half of a one-bedroom flat in Sydney, according to UNSW.
- Cook together: housemates who buy rice, dal and vegetables in bulk often keep food under AUD 100 a week each.
- Live near campus or a train line: it saves on fares and on time you can use for work.
- Check your state’s student fares: Queensland, Darwin and Adelaide offer cheap or concession fares to many international students.
- Choose a city that fits your budget: Brisbane, Adelaide and regional cities cost less than Sydney.
- Apply for scholarships: a tuition discount leaves more family money for living costs; see our list of scholarships in Australia for Nepali students.
- Track every dollar for the first three months: once you know your real costs, it is easier to plan transfers from home.
Plan Your Living Budget With a Goreto Counselor
A counselor can help you set a monthly budget for your city and course, and match it to the funds you show for the visa.
Most families in Nepal plan the living money in two parts. The first is what the bank statement or education loan in Nepal shows for the visa. The second is what the student needs in Australia each month. A bank balance certificate for AUD 29,710, about Rs 27 lakh, is only the visa part. That second part depends on your city, your room and how soon you find work.
Wherever you live in Nepal, even in Dhangadhi or Birtamod, you can get advice from us. You can also visit our branches in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara. Book a free consultation to plan your living costs for Australia before you apply.
FAQs on Cost of Living in Australia
The average living cost in Australia per month for one student is about AUD 1,600 to 4,000, which is about Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh. A shared room in Brisbane or Adelaide sits near the lower end. Living alone in Sydney or Canberra is near the top.
AUD 29,710, about Rs 27 lakh, is the amount Home Affairs counts for the visa. It can be enough for a student who shares a room and cooks at home in a cheaper city. In Sydney, a share house costs about AUD 30,680 to 40,560 a year, so plan for more there.
A single student usually spends about AUD 365 to 920 a week. Rent for a shared room is AUD 170 to 400 of that, and food is AUD 100 to 250. The rest goes on bills, phone, transport and personal costs.
Of the big cities, Brisbane and Adelaide usually cost the least for a sharing student, with monthly costs starting at about AUD 1,350 to 1,650. Darwin and smaller cities also have cheap rooms. Sydney and Canberra are the most expensive.
Yes, it is high compared with Nepal, and rent is the main reason. A room that costs AUD 290 a week in Sydney is about Rs 26 thousand a week. Students who share, cook and live near transport manage well on the lower end of the budget.
For one student it is about Rs 1.4 to 3.6 lakh a month, depending on the city and room. The visa figure of AUD 29,710 works out to about Rs 2.25 lakh a month. Rupee amounts change with the exchange rate, so check them before each transfer.
Steady work can cover a good part of your monthly costs once you find it. At the 2026 minimum wage of AUD 26.44 an hour, 48 hours a fortnight earns about AUD 1,270 before tax. Most students take one to three months to find regular hours, so bring savings for that time.
Plan for your normal monthly costs plus about AUD 2,500 to 5,800 for the bond, rent in advance and things for your room. That extra amount is about Rs 2.3 to 5.3 lakh. Buying used furniture keeps it near the lower end.
From 2 October 2026, most students cannot include a partner or children in a student visa. PhD students and some government-sponsored or scholarship students are exempt. If you are exempt, a family of 3 in Brisbane spends about AUD 3,755 to 5,461 a month.
Sources
Reference links
Disclaimer
Important guidance note
Living costs are each university's own published estimates; some are from 2025. Rupee amounts are rounded; check the current rate before you plan.
