Cost of living
By budgeting carefully and sharing with friends, your costs of living can be very affordable.
The cost of living in Brisbane is generally lower than most capital cities of Australia. Brisbane is a cosmopolitan city that has beautiful weather and great facilities which cater for a wide range of lifestyles, and most of them can be enjoyed on a student budget.
These costs can be reduced by sharing with friends and budgeting carefully. The table below is a guide only and the figures only provide an estimate of living costs in Brisbane today.
Please note, extras such as the costs of running a car, tuition/study fees, and entertainment and internet charges are not included.
Establishment Costs based on 2-3-bedroom houses
| Temporary accommodation e.g. Backpackers ($20/night for 4 nights) | $80 |
| Incidentals (transport & food in your first week) | $200 |
| Bond (4 weeks rent, $1000 as above, shared between 2) | $500* |
| Rent (2 weeks rent in advance – $400 shared between 2) | $200 |
| Electricity bond ($80 shared between 2) | $40* |
| Basic used furniture, linen & crockery | $300 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $1320 |
Weekly expenses – Per person based on a 2-bedroom shared unit*
| Rent | $150 |
| Electricity ($150 per quarter) | $10 |
| Food (own cooking) | $80 |
| Mobile Phone | $15 |
| Public Transport | $20 |
| Educational (photocopies, disks, etc.) | $10 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $285 |
*All prices quoted are only a guide and they are current as of November 2018. Please refer to the Study In Australia website for further information.
*Rental Bond refundable
Establishment costs
With any accommodation choice, you will need to consider the one-off expenses of creating a home as well as other incidental expenses like textbooks, medical costs, clothing, recreation, entertainment, visas renewals etc.
With this in mind, it is advisable to budget for an extra AUD$1500 — $2000 per year.
Spencer Technical College’s International SSO is able to assist you with arranging suitable accommodation for both yourself and any dependants that may be in your care, however, it is important to note that you will be responsible for any costs associated with this.