Read this before you plan your budget. The cost guide below is a rough guide only. It is based on the middle rent for all of New South Wales. It is not the rent for this suburb. Rents change a lot inside one city. A suburb near the centre can cost twice as much as a suburb further out. It does not tell you the price of any room, studio or apartment.
Get the real number for your postcode. Use the official rent data before you agree to anything: Rent Check — NSW Government. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Sydney, NSW
523 courses are taught here by 166 registered schools, across postcodes 2000, 2017.
The most expensive place to rent in Australia. Plan your budget carefully. Expect to share a house. Look at areas further from the city centre with good public transport.
The scale compares Australian states: $ cheaper, $$ medium, $$$ expensive, $$$$ most expensive. Source: ABS — Latest insights into the rental market, April 2025.
What this place is like to study in
Sydney is a study area with many schools, not one large campus. 166 schools teach here. Most are colleges inside office buildings, not universities with grounds. 58% of courses here are vocational (VET). These courses are practical and hands-on. Your classmates will be a wide range of ages. Course fees here are about 37% below the national average. Over several years, this saves a large amount.
We calculate this description from the CRICOS register: the number of schools, the course levels and the registered fees. It describes study only. To learn about rent, transport and daily life here, talk to current students and ask your school.
What level people study here
| Level | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vocational (VET) | 1,420 | 58% |
| Postgraduate | 523 | 21% |
| Other | 302 | 12% |
| Undergraduate | 207 | 8% |
| School | 6 | 0% |
Finding somewhere to live
Most international students choose one of four options. From cheapest to most expensive:
- A room in a shared house. The most common choice. In expensive cities it is often the only affordable option.
- Student accommodation. Buildings made for students, usually near campus.
- Homestay. You live with an Australian family.
- Your own studio or one-bedroom apartment. The most expensive option.
Two things to know before you sign a lease. First, the bond is usually four weeks of rent. A government office holds it, not the landlord. You get it back at the end. If someone asks you to pay a bond in cash directly to them, this is a warning sign.
Second, you usually cannot inspect a property from overseas. Book two to four weeks of temporary accommodation first. Then look at properties in person. This avoids the most common and most expensive mistake students make.
Your school's accommodation office is the best place to start. It is free. They know the area and often keep a list of checked properties.
Every course taught here
- A$13,6002 yr · A$6,800/yr
- A$13,8726 mo · A$27,744/yr
- A$13,9006 mo · A$27,800/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,4006 mo · A$28,800/yr
- A$14,5006 mo · A$29,000/yr
- A$14,5006 mo · A$29,000/yr
- A$14,5001 yr · A$14,500/yr
- A$14,5608 mo · A$22,268/yr
- A$14,7606 mo · A$29,520/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001.5 yr · A$10,263/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0006 mo · A$30,000/yr
- A$15,0006 mo · A$30,000/yr
- A$15,0928 mo · A$23,781/yr
- A$15,2508 mo · A$24,030/yr
- A$15,6006 mo · A$31,200/yr
- A$15,8128 mo · A$24,916/yr
- A$16,0002 yr · A$8,000/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$16,4768 mo · A$25,962/yr
- A$16,8001 yr · A$16,800/yr
- A$16,8001 yr · A$16,800/yr
- A$16,8001 yr · A$16,800/yr
- A$17,0406 mo · A$34,080/yr
- A$17,8008 mo · A$26,446/yr
- A$17,8008 mo · A$26,446/yr
- A$17,8008 mo · A$26,446/yr
- A$17,8008 mo · A$26,446/yr
- A$17,8806 mo · A$35,760/yr
- A$17,8806 mo · A$35,760/yr
- A$17,8806 mo · A$35,760/yr
- A$17,9208 mo · A$26,624/yr
- A$18,0001 yr · A$18,000/yr
- A$18,0001 yr · A$18,000/yr
- A$18,0001 yr · A$18,000/yr
- A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$18,0006 mo · A$36,000/yr
- A$18,3606 mo · A$36,720/yr
- A$18,5528 mo · A$27,563/yr
- A$18,5526 mo · A$37,104/yr
- A$18,5526 mo · A$37,104/yr
- A$18,6808 mo · A$27,753/yr