Cost of Living
The cost of living in Australia will vary depending on your lifestyle and personal requirements The Australian government requires student visa applicants to show they have a minimum of AUD$29,710 in savings to cover annual living costs.
The average cost of a student living in Australia is around $1,800 – $3,500 a month (not including tuition fees). To help provide some insight to the living cost in Australia, here are some examples of expenses:
- Milk (1 Litre): $2.30
- Cup of coffee: $5.50
- Loaf of white bread (500g): $3.63
- Bag of 10kg rice : $38.00
- Chicken fillets (1kg): $12.85
- 12 extra large eggs: $7.50
- Average meal from McDonalds: $15.00
- Petrol (1 Litre) – $1.95
- Mobile phone and data plan (monthly): $45-$125
- Cinema ticket: $22
- Bus ticket (concession rate): $1.42 to $10.74.
These prices are estimations only and may vary in price.
Accommodation
A student living off-campus in a private rental close to either campus and the inner city can expect to pay:
- from $530 per week for an entire one-bedroom apartment;
- from $330 per person, per week sharing a two-bedroom apartment;
- from $250 per person, per week sharing a three-bedroom house or apartment.
Monthly Cost of Living
To help you estimate a monthly budget, here are some approximate costs of common expenses:
Single student
- Rent: $968–$2280
- Utilities (gas, electricity, water): $170–$215
- Food: $475–$1380
- Mobile phone/internet: $45–$125
- Public transport: $90–$120
Total: $1705–$4060
Family (two adults, one child) living off-campus*
- Rent: $2640–$3000
- Utilities (gas, electricity, water): $200–$415
- Food: $1300–$1600
- Mobile phone/internet: $90–$320
- Public transport: $270–$360
Total: $4500–$5695
*These costs assume that the dependent child is not of school age and do not factor in childcare costs. View fees for school-aged dependents.
This table should be taken as a guide only. Study Australia provides an online cost of living calculator to estimate your weekly, monthly, and yearly living costs.
Study Costs
Leaders Institute features a fully online digital library, as well as providing required readings in Moodle. However, there may be other related study costs from $500 to $1000 on average per year, depending on the course.
You will need access to a computer and the internet during your time at Leaders Institute. Although computers are available on campus, we suggest owning one if possible.
Public Transport
Leaders Institute recommends using Brisbane’s Translink public transport services to get to and from the Brisbane campus. In Sydney, New South Wales transport services can assist in getting around on public transport.
The campus is serviced by extensive public transport networks, offering congestion-free, fast and reliable transportation. For the safety and security of students, no classes or activities are scheduled on campus after 5 pm.
Concessions and Student Discounts
Australian state governments provide some concessions and student discounts at participating retailers and institutions. You’ll usually need to show a valid student ID card to access student discounts. This can help you minimise your expenses on some products and services, including:
- software and technology;
- public transport;
- entertainment (such as cinema tickets, museums);
- select retailers;
- select food and drink venues;
- select hairdressers.