Sydney (Most Expensive)
- Rent (share house, 1 room): AUD 800–1,100/month
- Groceries (cooking Nepali/Asian food): AUD 250–350
- Transport (Opal card, weekly cap): AUD 100–140
- Phone plan: AUD 20–30
- Utilities (share, your portion): AUD 40–70
- Misc (coffee, social, personal): AUD 150–200
- Total: AUD 1,360–1,890/month
Melbourne
- Rent: AUD 750–1,000 | Transport: AUD 90–120 | Groceries: AUD 240–320
- Total: AUD 1,280–1,760/month
Brisbane
- Rent: AUD 650–900 | Transport: AUD 80–110
- Total: AUD 1,150–1,590/month
Adelaide (Cheapest Major City)
- Rent: AUD 550–800 | Transport: AUD 70–100
- Total: AUD 1,000–1,380/month
The Cooking Hack
The biggest variable is food. Students who cook Nepali food (dal, bhat, tarkari with ingredients from Nepali/Indian grocery stores) spend AUD 200–280/month. Students who eat out 5+ times a week spend AUD 500–700. Cooking wins — always.
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