Living in the australia: includes accommodation, furnishings, clothing and food

Please note information supplied on this page is for the benefit of Fulbright Scholars travelling to Australia, to assist with travel preparations and also to support Scholars in their transition to life in Australia. Please note: the information has been extracted from recent Fulbright Scholar Final Reports and is not necessarily the views or recommendations of the Fulbright Commission.

I’ve found banking to be sufficient, although it’s been slightly inconvenient that the student account I have at St George doesn’t allow checkbooks. Food is a bit more expensive here than in the US. I spent approximately $100/wk on food. I bought a used 1983 Volvo in good condition for $2500. I’ve had to replace the brakes and main brake cylinder for about $1400 and replace one tire for about $200 over the past year. The bus system in Canberra is a little infrequent to be able to get around solely by public transport, but Canberra is good for bikes. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

In my housing search (in Melbourne), which focused on either efficiency/studio –which I have-- or 1 bedroom apartments, I found that the typical inner suburb cost was between $850-1300 / month. If you move toward the outer suburbs, the costs can decrease considerably. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Overall, I’d say groceries are less expensive in Melbourne than in New York city but more expensive than in a suburb of NYC. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

If anyone is involved in doing a lot of fieldwork, it is worth putting in the initial costs to have more reliable and regular transport, at least in Brisbane. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Housing-expensive in Australia (or at least in the NT), particularly on campus, but is pretty available. Rent is charged weekly

I find that the cost of living in Australia is, in general, higher than in America. Many people have told me that this is partially due to the fact that I am living in the Northern Territory and that petrol, food, rent, etc. are very expensive here! Remember the conversion rate when shopping, it will give you a better idea of whether its “a deal” or not. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Having lived in the tropics of Australia, I now understand that you can’t wear a shirt twice before washing it, if you wear any shoes besides thongs you are a snob, and I have to wear a hat (but not to keep my head warm!) The insects took some getting used to. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

The main suggestion I would have for anyone traveling to Australia would be to find share-house accommodation so that they spend at least some of their time living with Australians. I believe that this is the easiest and most effective way to extend your social network, truly get to know the people and culture, and spread knowledge to others about your life in the States and what its really like! 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

I believe that living in a share-house in Brunswick was one of the best decisions I made during my time in Melbourne. It is not only half the price of my tiny studio apartment, but it has opened many more doors to me socially by living with Australians. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Future Scholars should try to find accommodation BEFORE the start of the semester, when there is a huge influx of domestic and international students all looking for housing as well.2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Melbourne is probably the fashion capital of Australia, so there is absolutely no shortage of clothing or shops. Scholars should remember that in Southern Australia is does still get cold during the winter, and therefore should pack accordingly. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

There are an abundance of 2nd-hand furniture shops around Melbourne, and there are always students looking to sell (posted on boards in University Unions etc.) 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

For my housing accommodations, I lived at a residential college called St. Marks that is affiliated with the University of Adelaide…. I would recommend residential college housing to future Fulbright Scholars… future Fulbrighters might be interested to know the cost of books in Australia is much higher than in America. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

I bought all of my furnishings secondhand. Unless you are independently wealthy, or plan to stay here forever, it’s not worth buying a bunch of new stuff only to sell it for 10% the original price a year later. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Buy any electronics before coming to Australia, as it’s noticeably cheaper in the US, even after converting the currencies…2005 Postgraduate Scholar

(University of Melbourne) Campus housing tends to be furnished but super small. I suggest staying in a hostel temporarily until finding better accommodations. Reasonable costs…2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Try to find a bank that will give you access to a visa debit card, otherwise you will be charged every time you use your visa (usually 3% conversion rate). Westpac usually lets you do this, St. George does not… 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

I recommend booking a couple nights in a hostel and familiarizing yourself with the area before finding accommodations. That way, you’ll know where you want to live and how much is reasonable to pay for rent…2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Use the resources at the International Office of your university to try and secure housing (both on and off campus). 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Larger grocery stores are in Toowong and Indooroopilly (Brisbane,Queensland), and worth going to for the larger selection. Fruit stores are a bit pricier but have much nicer produce than supermarkets. Prices are reasonable, particularly for those who cook using fresh rather than prepared ingredients. The selection of Asian foods and ingredients is particularly good...2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Housing—expensive in Sydney. Be prepared to find a roommate to share costs if living off-campus $AUD200-400/wk average with roommate). 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Clothing—bring functional clothing, a decent overcoat, raingear, a formal outfit. Clothing can also be expensive in Sydney, so I would suggest limiting clothing purchases to keep costs down. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

I lived with flatmates and have found that in Sydney, shared accommodation costs between A$150-290/wk in the eastern suburbs. My accommodation for a shared apartment overlooking the ocean was A$230/wk. Living on your own is possible but more difficult as there are few fully furnished places available. I found that they all cost over A$250/wk. Domain.com.au and craigslist (Sydney) were the best resources for housing. Also, university postings though to work through UNSW you really need to be on campus to get information. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Food and clothing I found to be very expensive and thus I did not generally buy clothing unless I really needed it. Food, on other hand, is one of my favorite things and therefore I found that it was often something I spent a bit extra on, especially if it also meant a chance to socialize and make new friends...2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Once I arrived, finding housing was very difficult. I arrived in February, which is apparently the busiest time for real estate. Unfamiliar housing practices and high demand made finding a place to live very stressful. Furnishing the apartment was very difficult only relying on public transportation. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

I would recommend share housing for postgraduate students. It usually the cheapest option and gives you a group of potential friends that can be very helpful in your first few months if not for the entire experience. Some housing arrangements can be a bit dodgy though, so it is important to visit properties and meet potential housemates. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

If one needs short-term accommodation after one arrives, there are also a plethora of backpacker hostels which are both welcoming and convenient—particularly for “low-maintenance” people. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Housing: I found the internet an extraordinarily valuable resource in these regards, with the websites (a) gumtree.com.au and (b) university housing databases proving quite valuable. As I noted above, short-term accommodation can also be had very fluidly and easily in backpacker hostels which abound in Sydney (as well as throughout Australia). 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

The Salvation Army proved an incredibly valuable resource – and the money you give them goes to a great cause! 2006 Postgraduate Scholar

Coles & Woolworths proved mainstays, along with Paddy’s Market in Sydney’s Chinatown. I was struck at the degree to which the prices of strawberries and other produce varied widely—and wildly—depending on the season. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

In terms of housing, I would request upon your arrival that you obtain the Guide to Renting in Western Australia, an annual publication by the Department of Housing. It will give you tips on housing accommodation which will make your life much easier and thereby allow you to adjust quicker and spend more time on your research project. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Since we were only in Brisbane for a short duration of time and also staying at the university between semesters, we decided to stay at Cromwell College on the university campus. Cromwell was very convenient to my academic building on campus and provided easy access to bus services to the city. The cost for the stay at Cromwell included a furnished room and 3 meals per day. The room was a bit small for my wife and I, but it was furnished. 2004 Postgraduate Scholar

I used the Melbourne Uni Arts Faculty website for housing and was very lucky. Senior Scholars would be wise to contact their host University and inquire about faculty going away on sabbatical who might be interested in renting their furnished house. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

Work to locate your home in a central location, immediately accessible to public transport and/or roadways. Create a budget to assure your ability to make ends meet, especially if you are coming to the country with school-aged children. For families some financial sacrifice is likely given the cost of living and the eroding weakness of the US dollar; this is especially true if you are also maintaining a home in the US. Search for homes and flats through sabbaticalhomes.com and other online real estate exchange sources. Depending upon the location of your posting, factor in the cost of heating a home in the Australian winter, and check to see how the home is heated. The costs of propane to heat can be quite prohibitive. Find out if the home is insulated, a “pole home” with uninsulated floors = cool in summer, but expensive to heat in winter, etc. Check to see if you are required to perform house or garden (yard) maintenance. Get details on monthly / seasonal costs for trash, water, and other utilities expenses. 2005 Postgraduate Scholar

I would suggest that scholars live either in the CBD, North Adelaide, or near one of the beaches. The suburbs are often difficult to get to and are not always populated with supermarkets or social gathering places like restaurants and coffee shops. 2006 Postgraduate Scholar