Cost of Living
Cost of Living in Sydney
As a student visa holder, you will be required to have approximately AUD$21,041 per person per year for living expenses, as advised by the Australian Government. However, the actual cost depends on your individual lifestyle and you should budget for approximately AUD$25,900 per year per adult. Remember, your living expenses are separate from your tuition fees.
As it can often take some time for money to be transferred from your home country to Australia, you will need to bring enough money with you to cover your expenses for the first few weeks. Foreign currency can be exchanged for Australian currency at Sydney Airport. If you arrive on a weekend (Saturday/Sunday) and do not change some currency at the airport you may not be able to change it until the next working day.
Cost of Living Guide
(All prices in the below table are quoted in Australian Dollars.)
Housing:
| Accommodation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation* | $90-$450 | Cost depends on your "style" of accommodation on- or off-campus. *Price may vary depends on location and room types. See on-campus accommodation costs: Western Sydney University Village www.mystudentvillage.com/au/westernsydneyuv/(opens in a new window) Off-campus accommodation: a two bedroom apartment in Parramatta costs about $350-$450 per week to rent. Internet is included for on campus accommodations and is often included within most of the private rental housing. The University has free Wi-Fi on campus. |
| Rent advance or rental bond | $300-$900+ | Rent for your accommodation in advance. Rental bond if you are renting off-campus accommodation |
| Home appliances (fan, heater, rice cooker) | $30-$300 | Some accommodation may not be fully equipped or you may want your own appliances. Consult with your landlord ahead before purchasing. |
| Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) | $30-$50 | For on-campus accommodation, costs are included. Costs varies for off-campus accommodation depending on share arrangements. |
Expenses:
| Transport | ||
|---|---|---|
| Airport Transfer | $80-$150 | Based on transport costs from the airport if you have not organised to be met as part of the Airport Reception Service. |
| Petrol (1 litre) | $1.20-$1.90 | Various type of petrol is available in different petrol stations. |
| Bus and train fares | $30-$60+ | Depends on how far you live from a Western Sydney University campus and how often you use public transport. Check the Transport NSW Opal Card website for more details. |
| Textbook and Course-related | ||
|---|---|---|
| Computer | $1000-$2000 | Varies depending on your brand of choice and model. |
| Textbooks | $400+ | You can save money by buying second hand books. Check out campus notice boards or go to www.textbookexchange.com.au |
| Stationary/Photocopying | $15 | The Western Sydney University library has many books and journals available online so this may reduce photocopying costs. You can also purchase stationary at discount department stores. |
| Notebooks | $1-$5 | Available in the University Store. |
| Clothes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bedding | $145-$800 | Based on costs if you have not brought it with you, or it is not provided in your accommodation |
| Warm clothing | $50-$150 | Especially in winter (June to August) if you are coming from a tropical climate. |
| Laundry Service | $5 | Laundry service is offered within on-campus accommodation. |
| Mobile | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mobile (cell) phone | $100-$200 | Varies depending on mobile contract or pre-paid prices. |
| International calls | $5-$25 | International calling cards (phone cards) to call home are available and are generally a cheaper way to call home. |
| Phone calls | $15-$20 | Mobile (cellular) phone calls will be more expensive. |
| Entertainment | |
|---|---|
| Fast food (McDonald's etc) | $5-$15 |
| Yum Cha (Dim Sum) | $15-$30 |
| Take away food (Indian, Chinese, Thai, pizza etc) | $10-$25 |
| Gym membership (weekly) | $7-$11 |
| Movies (some cinemas also offer budget nights) | $14-$30 |
| A night out (dinner, club, disco etc) | $60+ |
| Amusement park tickets (Prices varies during weekends and public holidays, some location offer ticket deals) | $20-$35/adult |
| Food and Groceries | |
|---|---|
| Bottle of water | $1-$3 |
| Loaf of bread | $1.50-$4 |
| Milk (1 litre) | $2 |
| Rice (1 kg) | $2-$4 |
| Cup of coffee or tea | $2.50-$5.50 |
| Soft drink | $2-$4 |
| Potato (1 kg) | $5 |
| Can of tuna | $2 |
| Apples (1 kg) | $4 |
| Oranges (1 kg) | $5 |
| Lettuce | $2.5 |
| Instant noodles | $2 |
| Alcohol beverages | $8-$15 |
| Toothpaste | $2-$6 |
| Deodorant | $3-$7 |
| Manicure | $30-$50 |
| Haircut/style | $15-$60 |
| Lunch in a cafe | $10-$25 |
| Lunch on-campus | $10-$20 |
Further Information
NSW Fair Trading Consumer Guide (PDF, 809.27 KB) (opens in a new window)
Study in Australia - Cost of living (opens in a new window)
Opal Card Homepage (public transport) (opens in a new window)
Transport NSW (opens in a new window)
Related Links
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