How much does it cost to live in Sydney? Which neighborhood is better for international students?

When considering which city to live in Australia, the first reaction of many international students must be Sydney!

This charming financial center city has created countless job opportunities for international students in Australia. But, how much does it cost to live in Sydney? Is it expensive to live here? Which Sydney neighbourhood is right for you? Don’t worry, this article will answer you one by one!

1. How much does it cost to live alone in Sydney?

In the “2019 Global Cities Cost of Living Ranking” published by Mecer, Sydney is “Australia’s most expensive city”, but there has been a big change in the global ranking: from last year’s global Top 1 to Top 50.

The falling cost of living is certainly a good news for residents here. So how much will it cost international students to live alone in Sydney after the cost has dropped?

Below, we will take an inventory for you from the aspects of rent, transportation, catering and entertainment, food and groceries, etc., to see what kind of conclusions can be drawn in the end!

– Rental cost = AU$2560

No matter which city you live in, the cost of renting a house is the single biggest monthly expense. According to statistics from the well-known website Numbeo, if you live in the city center of Sydney, international students may need to spend 2.5k Australian dollars a month, and if you live outside the city center, it may only cost 1.8k Australian dollars.

– Transportation fee = AU$217

For people who want to use the TTC to travel, they need to spend around $217 a month on transportation. If you often need to take a taxi, then you need to add a little extra – about AU$300 a month for transportation.

Of course, if you choose to walk, then you can save a lot of transportation costs.

– Dinner and entertainment = AU$270

Most people also need to spend a certain amount of money on entertainment, such as having dinner with friends, watching movies, traveling and so on. In Sydney, if two people dine in a mid-range restaurant, it will cost about AU$89 a time, and if you add the cost of drinking, it will generally cost about AU$130. Assuming you need to go out twice a month, then you also need to add some miscellaneous expenses, the total amount is about $280.

– Groceries = AU$270

There is a huge gap between the cost of living of cooking and not cooking in Sydney, and we’re only talking about cooking your own food here.

Most people will choose to go to the supermarket to buy food and groceries. According to Sydney’s statistics, each person spends an average of about AU$266 on food and other groceries per month!

In addition to this, you may have to pay the following monthly fees:

Cost: about AU$90

Party: about AU$60

Fitness: around AU$120

coffee: around AU$40

Funding for the event: AU$125

…

After careful calculation, to live independently in Sydney, you need to spend about AU$3.75k per month, and about AU$4.5w in a year.

2. Which Sydney neighbourhood is right for you?

The cost of living in Sydney is among the highest among cities, but there are some neighbourhoods that are very suitable for students with low incomes.

– Kensington

This neighborhood has convenient transportation, and it takes about 20 minutes to get to the city by bus. At the same time, Kingston also has Chinese food, Thai food, Indonesian food, Italian restaurant and so on, which can definitely satisfy you.

This area is mostly spacious single-family villa houses, and most of the residential areas are dominated by houses.

– Ultimo

Ultimo makes it possible for anyone who wants to live a stylish and affordable life in Sydney. There are many types of Unit rooms, and it is relatively close to the city center, and it is also close to the Broadway shopping center, which is very convenient for life.

– Chippendale

Chippendale is opposite Ultimo, and the location is also quite good, making it very convenient to travel to work.

To get more information about studying and living in Sydney, please visit CatEight, a comprehensive platform for overseas study.