Living costs

To help you plan and prepare your budget, these tables provide estimated costs of living and studying at each campus. The costs will vary depending on your accommodation type, lifestyle and other factors.

Check the Cheap and Free Guide (PDF 464KB) for some tips on how to save time and money in Melbourne. 

The table below shows estimated average annual costs for a single student sharing rental accommodation, living in a one bedroom flat, living in Homestay (that is, living with a family or individual in their home) or living on campus (non-catered).

Please note: these costs are based on 2012 prices and may vary in 2013. Students commencing in 2013 should allow for a four to five per cent increase in living expenses. Total figures are for 37 weeks of the academic year only, and exclude the cost of clothing or travel expenses for leisure purposes.

Important table key

  1. Assumes shared with two other people.
  2. Payment of 18 weeks of rental fees is required in advance.
  3. Bond is usually refunded at the end of your stay provided no money is due, you have given the required period of notice, and that you have caused no damage to the property. Note that some private student accommodation providers will deduct a A$50 cleaning charge at the end of your stay.
  4. Transport for education and work purposes.
  5. Placement fee for Homestay.
  6. Includes non-refundable costs of social and transition programs and other miscellaneous fees. This cost may be lower for students who are in-residence for only one semester or who commence at Semester 2 (July).
  7. There is currently no on-campus accommodation available at Shepparton campus.
  8. Tenants are legally liable to pay

Average living costs for one student (A$)

Melbourne
Accommodation
 Homestay (fully catered meals)
 Homestay (shared room no meals)
 Renting (shared house or flat)1
 One bedroom flat or apartment8
 Chisholm College (non-catered)
Establishment costs
Bond3 0 0 563 1213 500
Rent in advance 1100 760 563 1213 773
Telephone, internet and utilities connection 0 0 40 120 5009
Establishment costs (household items, furniture 2405 2405 500 1000 2156
Total 1340 1000
 1666
 3546 1988
Annual costs
Books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 800 800 800 800 800
Weekly costs
Weekly rent/board 275 190 130 280 179
Food, groceries and personal items 50 120 120 150 120
Utilities (gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet) 20 20
 50 90
 10
Travel (public transport, fuel)4 50 50
 50
 50
 20
Spending money 80 80 80 80 80
Average weekly costs 475 460 430
 650 409
Estimated for academic year (37 weeks) 16 875 15 210 15 550 23 068 16 336
Bendigo
Accommodation
 Homestay (fully catered meals)
 Homestay (shared room no meals)
 Renting (shared house or flat)1
 One bedroom flat or apartment8
 Campus (non-catered)9
Establishment costs
Bond 0 0 520 953 500
Rent in advance 1100 760
 520 953 693
Telephone, internet and utilities connection 0 0 40 120 5009
Establishment costs (household items, furniture 2405 2405 500 1000 2156
Total 1340 1000 1580 3026 1908
Annual costs
Books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 800 800 800 800 800
Weekly costs
Weekly rent/board 275 190 120 220 160
Food, groceries and personal items 50 120 120 150 120
Utilities (gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet) 20
 20
 50
 90
 10
Travel (public transport, fuel)4 25
 25
 25
 25
 10
Spending money 80 80 80 80 80
Average weekly costs 450
 435
 395 565 380
Estimate for one academic year (37 weeks) 17 690
 17 135
 16 475
 23 778
 16 060
Albury-Wodonga
Accommodation
 Homestay (fully catered all meals)
 Renting (shared house or flat)1
 One bedroom flat8
 Campus (non-catered)
Establishment costs
Bond 0
 520 650 300
Rent in advance 1100
 520 650 23132
Telephone, internet and utilities connection 0
 40 120 0
Establishment costs (household items, furniture 2405
 500 1000 506
Total 1340
 1580 2420 2663
Annual costs
Books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 800
 800 800 800
Weekly costs
Weekly rent/board 275
 1201 150 125
Food, groceries and personal items 50
 120 150 120
Utilities (gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet) 20
 50
 90
 20
Travel (public transport, fuel) 30
 30 30 10
Spending money 80
 80 80 80
Average weekly costs 455
 400
 500 355
Estimate for one academic year (37 weeks) 17 875
 16 660
 11 070
 14 285
Mildura
Accommodation
 Renting (shared house or flat)
 One bedroom flat8
 Campus (non-catered)
Establishment costs
Bond 433
 650 350
Rent in advance 433
 650
 260
Telephone, internet and utilities connection 40 120 0
Establishment costs (household items, furniture 500 1000 250
Total 1406 2420 860
Annual costs
Books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 800 800 800
Weekly costs
Weekly rent/board 100
 150 130
Food, groceries and personal items 120 150 120
Utilities (gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet) 50
 90 20
Travel (public transport, fuel) 30 30 10
Spending money 80 80 80
Average weekly costs 380
 500 360
Estimate for one academic year (37 weeks) 15 833
 21 070
 14 720
Shepparton
Accommodation
 Renting (shared house or flat)1
 One bedroom flat8
Establishment costs
Bond 433 650
Rent in advance 433
 650
Telephone, internet and utilities connection 40 120
Establishment costs (household items, furniture 500 1000
Total 1406 2420
Annual costs
Books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 800 800
Weekly costs
Weekly rent/board 100
 150
Food, groceries and personal items 120 150
Utilities (gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet) 50
 90
Travel (public transport, fuel) 26
 26
Spending money 80 80
Average weekly costs 376 496
Estimate for one academic year (37 weeks) 15 685
 20 922

Average living costs for families (all campuses) (A$)

The following table shows estimated average costs for a couple with one child, living in a two-bedroom unit/house and a child to study at government school.

Establishment costs
 Couple with pre-school aged child (0-5)
 Couple with primary school aged child (5-11)
 Couple with secondary school aged child (12-18)
Establishment costs
Bond 1360 1360 1360
Rent in advance 1360 1360 1360
Telephone, internet and utilities connection 60 60
 60
Establishment costs (household items, furniture 1500 1500 1500
Total 4280 4280 4280
Annual family costs
Books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 800 800 800
Health insurance 870 1487
 1487
Clothing 850 850 1000
School/Kindergarten fees (incl. application fees) 1220 7590 11 130
School uniform N/A 250 300
Miscellaneous school costs (incursions, excursions, etc.) N/A 150 500
Total 3740 11 127
 15 217
Weekly costs
Weekly rent/board 340 340 347
Food, groceries and personal items 190 220 250
Utilities (gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet) 90
 90 90
Travel (public transport, fuel) 75 94 94
Spending money 150 200 200
Average weekly costs 845 944 981
Estimate for one academic year (37 weeks) 39 284
 50 334
 53 093

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