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 Queensland. 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: Median rents quick finder — Residential Tenancies Authority. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Townsville, QLD
56 courses are taught here by 10 registered schools, across postcodes 4810, 4814, 4818.
Average cost for Australia. Sharing a house is comfortable. A studio or one-bedroom is possible, but it will use a large part of your budget.
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
Townsville has 10 schools teaching here. That is enough choice to compare options, but it is not a busy city-centre study area. Course fees here are about 23% above the national average. This is because of the type of schools here, not the location.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 56 | 38% |
| Undergraduate | 51 | 35% |
| Vocational (VET) | 22 | 15% |
| School | 10 | 7% |
| Other | 7 | 5% |
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$13,3446 mo · A$26,688/yr
- A$18,4516 mo · A$36,902/yr
- A$36,9011 yr · A$36,901/yr
- A$39,1481 yr · A$39,148/yr
- A$42,4771 yr · A$42,477/yr
- A$42,4771 yr · A$42,477/yr
- A$46,1111 yr · A$46,111/yr
- A$46,1111 yr · A$46,111/yr
- A$46,1111 yr · A$46,111/yr
- A$59,3091.3 yr · A$46,728/yr
- A$64,5651.5 yr · A$43,043/yr
- A$64,5651.5 yr · A$43,043/yr
- A$66,8031.5 yr · A$44,535/yr
- A$70,6842 yr · A$35,342/yr
- A$70,6842 yr · A$35,342/yr
- A$70,6842 yr · A$35,342/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$75,2732 yr · A$37,637/yr
- A$77,5362 yr · A$38,768/yr
- A$79,8622 yr · A$39,931/yr
- A$79,8622 yr · A$39,931/yr
- A$86,6532 yr · A$43,327/yr
- A$86,6532 yr · A$43,327/yr
- A$86,6532 yr · A$43,327/yr
- A$86,6532 yr · A$43,327/yr
- A$86,6532 yr · A$43,327/yr
- A$89,6622 yr · A$44,831/yr
- A$94,0672 yr · A$47,034/yr
- A$94,0672 yr · A$47,034/yr
- A$94,0672 yr · A$47,034/yr
- A$94,0672 yr · A$47,034/yr
- A$94,0672 yr · A$47,034/yr
- A$98,9252 yr · A$49,463/yr
- A$130,9444 yr · A$32,736/yr
- A$132,6093 yr · A$44,203/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$156,6894 yr · A$39,172/yr
- A$157,4404 yr · A$39,360/yr
- A$157,4404 yr · A$39,360/yr
- A$157,4404 yr · A$39,360/yr