Cost of Living in Australia for International Students, in PKR

Going by the universities' own estimates, a single student in Australia spends roughly AUD 2,300 to 2,500 a month in Adelaide (about Rs 4.5 to 4.9 lakh), AUD 2,040 to 3,040 a month sharing a flat in Melbourne (about Rs 4 to 5.9 lakh), and AUD 2,650 to 4,150 a month in Sydney (about Rs 5.2 to 8.1 lakh). That is before tuition. For the student visa, the Australian Government's figure for a single student's living costs is AUD 29,710 a year (about Rs 57.9 lakh).

This guide turns those budgets into rupees so a Pakistani family can see what a month really costs. Then it sets each scholarship's payment against them, to show what is left or what is short. We read every figure on 29 October 2026 on Australian Government and university pages. Costs and stipends change every year, so the official pages are always the final word.

The exchange rate we used

Every rupee figure here uses AUD 1 = Rs 195, the mid-market rate shown by Wise on 29 October 2026 (Rs 195.2, rounded). Banks and exchange companies in Pakistan sell Australian dollars at a higher rate than mid-market, and the rate moves every day. If the rupee weakens, every rupee figure below goes up. Work out your own numbers with today's rate before you transfer money, or use our cost calculator.

What a month costs in Adelaide, item by item

Australian universities usually publish costs per week, because rent in Australia is quoted and paid weekly. Flinders University in Adelaide gives one of the clearest lists. Its cost of living page (last updated 3 October 2025) gives these weekly figures, which we have turned into monthly amounts (a month is about 4.3 weeks):

The totals are our own sums of Flinders' figures. Flinders itself recommends a yearly budget of AUD 29,710, the same as the visa figure. It also lists a one-off fee of AUD 820 at Deirdre Jordan Village (Rs 1.6 lakh) and AUD 865 at its university hall, and a room at The Switch in the city centre from AUD 399 a week, all-inclusive.

Sydney and Melbourne: the bigger cities

Sydney. UNSW's cost of living in Sydney page says a student can live modestly on campus from roughly AUD 28,860 a year (about Rs 56.3 lakh, or Rs 4.7 lakh a month), while a student living alone in an apartment who goes out often can spend upwards of AUD 40,820 a year (about Rs 79.6 lakh, or Rs 6.6 lakh a month). It puts the average monthly cost at around AUD 2,645 to 4,166 (Rs 5.2 to 8.1 lakh). Sydney rent is the highest in Australia: UTS's costs of living page says shared accommodation near its city campus costs AUD 370 to 550 a week (Rs 72 thousand to 1.1 lakh a week).

Melbourne. The University of Melbourne's living costs page gives a yearly estimate for each kind of housing, including rent and other expenses, for a student at its Parkville campus:

That works out to about AUD 2,040 to 3,040 a month (Rs 4 to 5.9 lakh) for a shared flat. The same page lists a public transport pass at AUD 21.50 a week and a phone plan at AUD 50 a month. It does not give a date for its figures, so treat them as a guide and check the page when you apply.

Health cover is compulsory

Every student visa holder needs Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the whole stay, and most universities ask you to buy it with your offer. As one example of a current price, Medibank's premium sheet, published by UNSW College for policies starting from 1 May 2026, gives AUD 821 for 12 months of single cover (about Rs 1.6 lakh), or AUD 1,708 for 24 months. Prices differ by insurer and length of cover, and covering a spouse costs more.

Tuition comes on top

The living costs above don't include tuition. Every public university in Australia charges international students full fees, and our Study in Australia guide gives typical ranges for bachelor's, master's and PhD study. Look up the exact fee for your course and intake on the university's own page, because fees usually rise each year.

What the student visa asks you to show

The amount is set in law. The Migration (LIN 19/198) instrument on evidence of financial capacity, whose latest compilation has been in force since 10 May 2024 (checked on legislation.gov.au on 29 October 2026), raised the figures to:

The explanatory statement for that change shows the amounts and says they are worked out as a proportion of Australia's national minimum wage. UNSW College says the AUD 29,710 figure excludes course fees. Study Australia's student visa page says your main course decides what financial evidence you must give, and that the student visa rules changed on 2 October 2026, including on whether family members can be included in an application. So check the Department of Home Affairs pages for your own case before you plan for a spouse or children to come.

Two things follow for a family. First, the visa figure is a minimum, not a budget: in Sydney, and in a single flat in Melbourne, a year costs more on the universities' own estimates. Second, a scholarship letter that pays living costs can count towards it. This is a summary of official pages, not immigration advice; Home Affairs is the final word.

How far your scholarship goes

Here is each scholarship's payment set against the costs above. "Left" means what remains after the estimate; it is not a promise of savings.

• Australia Awards: the Monash Australia Awards page describes the living payment as a fortnightly contribution at a rate set by the Australian Government's foreign affairs department. The Australia Awards Pakistan site says applications are closed and will reopen in early 2027. It is free to apply, and it is for professionals with work experience; our Australia Awards age limit article covers who can apply.
• RTP stipends: the rate is set by each university, at or above the government's base rate. Flinders gives the "standard rate set by the Australian Government" as AUD 36,061 a year tax free for 2026, with up to 3.5 years for a doctorate. UTS pays AUD 39,000 and Swinburne AUD 35,500 for 2026. Flinders' 2026 international round has closed, and most universities run rounds once or twice a year. A funded PhD starts with a supervisor, so begin with our email to a potential supervisor.
• UNSW Scientia: the UNSW scholarships page says applications for Term 1 2027 close on 30 October 2026 at 11:59 pm AEST, and you need a UNSW offer by that date.
• Deakin: the Deakin page asks for an average of at least 85% and assesses applications on a rolling basis before each trimester.

Can part-time work fill the gap?

Study Australia's student visa page says a student can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while the course is in session, including exam periods, and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks. Research master's and PhD students have no limit once their course has started. Jobs are not guaranteed and the rules can change, so a family should plan a budget that works without a job and treat any earnings as extra. This is a summary of the official page, not immigration advice. Our Australia 485 visa summary covers what official pages say about work after study.

Your next step

Pick two or three universities, open each one's "cost of living" page, and put its weekly figures and today's exchange rate into our cost calculator, so the whole family sees the yearly total in rupees. Remember that AUD 29,710 is the least the visa rules count for living costs, not what a year in Sydney costs. Before you pay application fees, see which Australian universities charge nothing on our no application fee list. Check each scholarship's current rate on its official page before you count on it, and never pay an agent to "arrange" a scholarship or an admission: universities deal with you directly. This page is general information, not financial advice.