Sydney accommodation info

Cost of living in Sydney

The Cost of Living Calculator is a helpful tool that will allow to estimate what your life in Sydney will cost you on a weekly basis. You can compare accommodation arrangements, transportation options, food, clothing, entertainment activities and much more. (To view your results, you do not need to fill out the information box. If you click on X, the box will disappear and show your results.)

This helpful tool will provide you with how much various items (housing, groceries, transport, clothing etc.) cost in Sydney.

When you are getting ready to travel to Australia to study, this video will give you an overview of the things you need to do before you arrive.

You can also get inspired by this student’s story and tips on how to find accommodation in Australia. For a more general overview of your options, you can read this guide to student accommodation in Australia.

Public transport

Getting around Sydney is easy. The city utilises Opal across busses, light rail, trains and most ferries.  Opal is the smartcard ticketing system used to pay for travel on public transport in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra. Visit this guide on how to use the Opal Card.

Unfortunately, most international students are not eligible for a travel concession according to the Transport for NSW terms and conditions. Because of this, most international students are recommended to acquire an Adult Opal Card which still offers a range of travel benefits including half-price fares for the rest of the week once you complete eight paid journeys between Monday and Sunday.

Hotels and hostels (typical cost is $120 to $400 per week)

There are numerous options for short term accommodation in Sydney’s CBD. Hostels are an affordable option and an easy starting point for your first few weeks in Australia.

This type of accommodation typically lets you book a stay as short as one night and will provide both private rooms as well as dormitory style options.

Below you will find links to the most popular sites for booking hostel accommodation:

• TripAdvisor
• Hostelworld
• Booking.com
• Kayak

Homestay (typical cost $300 to $450 per week)

A homestay is your opportunity to live with a Sydney host. It is an affordable accommodation option that will allow you to get settled in Sydney while having access to a support network with local knowledge. Find out more information about homestays and whether it would be a good option for you.

Currently UOW does not have any agreements with homestay providers, but if you are interested in this accommodation option there are several providers who can assist you in finding a host family:

• AHN Australian Homestay Network is Australia’s largest and most recognised homestay provider. They successfully manage over 10,000 applications per year across all of Australia. AHN is committed to ensuring an enriching, secure and memorable homestay experience for both students and hosts.

• Auzzie Families is an Australian owned and operated homestay provider with more than 20 years’ experience providing homestay solutions for international students from all over the world in Sydney. They offer a wide variety of hosts who have all been personally visited by a member of their team.

• GE Global Experiences has been connecting students from every corner of the globe with Australian families since 1999. GE has a large pool of homestay families across Sydney and seeks to provide the best possible advice and options for students new to Australia and its unique culture. Hosts are taken through a thorough recruitment process starting from the initial home inspection, training, and home revisit every six to twelve months to comply with current industry practices.

• Homestay Network was founded in 1987 to provide accommodation for academic and student visitors. They are Sydney’s original and premium homestay provider. Homestay Network is a network of like-minded families who share their lifestyle with an international student in their home, to create lifelong memories for all.

• Oz Homestay has over 30 years combined experience in caring for international students and aims to provide high quality service to their clients, whether they are students, host families, institutions or study tour operators.

• Study Vision has been a homestay provider for over 20 years. They are dedicated to continuously recruiting screening and training homestay hosts and providing full support and guidance. They work collaboratively with their homestay hosts to make sure that all international students are treated with care and warmth when they arrive to Australia.

Typical cost $200 to $600 per week
This type of accommodation is built with students in mind by private commercial developers. It is a good option for students who are willing to pay for the convenience of a lifestyle close to campus and city life. Rates are normally all inclusive, which means your rent includes cost of utilities and internet.

• Campus Living Villages
• Iglu
• Scape
• Stucco Student Cooperative (from $105/week)
• Unilodge
• The Switch – Kensington Sydney

Typical cost from $300 per week.
There are several student boarding houses in Sydney. These offer a similar experience to living on campus and are predominantly managed by either a church or a humanitarian organisation.

• Arundel House is a home for women students in the heart of Sydney’s university and college precinct. Arundel is a warm, welcoming community, where women can study, make friends and thrive. ($320-$380/week)
• Epworth House is an intentional Christian student community, closely connected to Leichhardt Uniting Church. As primarily a household of believers, it requires of its members real participation in the worship and missional life of Leichhardt Uniting Church, together with a commitment to share in the welfare and lives of all Epworth House residents.
• Flo Harris Lodge Flo Harris Lodge is student accommodation close to where you want to be—universities, colleges and the CBD. A unique, caring environment that is a great place for those leaving home and moving to Sydney for the first time.
• St Barnabas Terraces consist of four terraced houses in Glebe, which offer secure, inexpensive, self-catered accommodation. The Terraces are an intergeneration co-living community with a heart for tertiary students new to Sydney. Our vision is to see the houses filled with a mix of workers, students, couples, families and children.
• Xavier House is a house operated by St Vincent De Paul for young males from the country who come to the city to take residence. They aim to provide a family home away from home and supply shared accommodation, with an evening meal. A large old heritage-listed mansion and gardens, close to train. The house is designed to give young adults a home away from home, as well as offering them support and friendship.

Please familiarise yourself with the Boarding Houses Act for more information on how Boarding Houses in NSW operate, and what your rights are as a Boarding House occupant.

• Wayside Chapel is open from 9am-9pm daily and can offer emergency clothing, toiletries, showers, practical assistance, access to low-cost food.
• AskIzzy is a search tool to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness find shelter, food, health and other critical support services.
• Rough Edges is a non-government organisation that aims to bring a greater sense of self to everyone who walks through their doors. Opening hours to be confirmed on a daily basis.