LIVING AND STUDYING IN AUSTRALIA
Australia is one of the world leaders in education and home to almost 700,000 international students. It’s a great place to live and study as Australia has some of the lowest crime rates in the world with lots of open spaces, beautiful parks and wildlife, golden surf beaches and vibrant cities and night life. Australia is a welcoming and friendly country toward overseas visitors and our national values include individual freedoms along with protection of the rights of citizens and visitors with a transparent legal system in place. We are a multi-cultural and diverse nation with a thriving mix of regional and city centres providing a variety of landscapes and opportunities. Australia is a technologically advanced nation with great infrastructure and transportation options for students and being a country with one of the highest minimum wage rates – Australia is really a fantastic place to live and study.
This information has been sourced from Study in Australia provided by the Australian Government. If you would like more information about a specific topic, please visit the website: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/
This information has been sourced from Study in Australia provided by the Australian Government. If you would like more information about a specific topic, please visit the website: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/
PERTH
Perth has been ranked as one of the top 10 most liveable cities in the world and it is super affordable. Perth offers thriving night life, 3,000 hours of sunshine each year and 19 beaches to enjoy.
The cost of living in Perth will depend on your lifestyle. If you are living in homestay accommodation, most of your meal costs are covered by your weekly fee. If you are living in shared accommodation, you are likely to pay anywhere from $150-$250 per week for rent, and food cooked at home will be at least an additional $60 per week. You should allow at least $8 a day for your lunch. The cost for eating out ranges from about $8 for a hamburger and chips to about $40 a head in a budget restaurant. A glass of beer is approximately $5 and a bottle of wine can be purchased for about $15. A ticket to the movies costs about $12-$15, but may be as little as $7.00 with a discount. A local telephone call is 50 cents.
The following information provides an indication of what living expenses are associated with residence in Perth. Renting can range from $300 – $450 plus per week depending on the area, location, furnished or unfurnished.
APPROXIMATE COST OF LIVING FOR A SINGLE PERSON
Rental Accommodation | Unit/Villa |
1 Bedroom (shared) | $100-$250 pw |
2 Bedroom (Shared) | $150-$275 pw |
Electricity | $25 pw |
Telephone (Landline) | $15 pw |
Medical | $7 pw (based on Medibank current rates) |
Public Transport | $25 pw |
Food | $60 pw |
Laundry | $12 pw |
Other | $50 pw (clothing, toiletries, entertainment) |
Budget per week for a single person: | $350 – $400 |
APPROXIMATE COST OF LIVING FOR A FAMILY OF 4 PEOPLE
Rent | $300 – $450 pw |
Other Housing costs | $119 pw |
Schooling | $108 pw |
Cars | $125 pw |
Food | $250 pw |
Sport and Recreation | $40 pw |
Approximate budget for a family of 4: | $1100.00 pw |
The Department of Home Affairs has financial requirements you must meet in order to receive a student visa for Australia. The Department of Home Affairs has updated cost of living financial requirements for student visa applicants. For further information, please refer to the link. Costs are reflected as on January 2022.
- Primary Applicant – AU$ 21,041
- Partner or spouse – AU$ 7,362
- Dependent Child – AU$ 3,152
Transport
Australia has great public transport options including trains, buses, taxis and other ride share options like Uber and Didi. Australia also has many cycling and walking paths and its affordable domestic flight travel means that you may like to take advantage of your time here by seeing more of the sights.
Visit Perth Transport info Line www.transperth.wa.gov.au for train, bus and ferry timetables, fares and online trip-planning
Working on a Student Visa
Student visa holders can work up to 40 hours every two weeks (fortnight) during study terms and unlimited hours during school holiday breaks. For more information on popular industries for students to work in, your rights and responsibilities, your employer’s rights and information about the Fair Work Ombudsman visit: https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/work
Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC)
You must have student healthcare cover before arriving in Australia and for the duration of time you are in Australia – this is a visa requirement of the Department of Home Affairs. For further information about OSHC and other optional insurances visit https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/Live-in-Australia/Insurance