Grocery Shopping in Australia as a Nepali Student: Where to Buy and How to Cook on AUD 60/Week

Where to Shop

• Aldi: Consistently cheapest for staples. No loyalty card needed. Eggs, bread, dairy, vegetables are all cheaper than Coles/Woolworths.
• Woolworths Essentials / Coles Smart Buy: Generic brand products that are 40–60% cheaper than brand names.
• Nepali/Indian Grocery Stores: Every major Australian city has South Asian grocers selling rice (Basmati, Jeera), dal, achar, spices, Wai Wai, Hlun Noodles, even Zarda at reasonable prices. Ask your Nepali seniors for the local store name.
• Asian supermarkets (NQmart, HMart): Stock Asian vegetables (bitter melon, bottle gourd, fenugreek) much cheaper than mainstream stores.

AUD 60/Week Meal Plan Example

• 5kg basmati rice: AUD 8
• 2 packs masoor dal: AUD 5
• Mixed vegetables (seasonal): AUD 10
• Eggs (12-pack): AUD 5
• Chicken (1kg): AUD 9
• Milk, bread, butter: AUD 10
• Spices, oil replenishment: AUD 7
• Snacks/drinks: AUD 6

Total: AUD 60 — comfortable for one person cooking most meals at home.