As the exchange rate between Australian dollar and RMB hovers between 1:5- 1:6.5, new international students are often used to changing any commodity into RMB, thus feeling the pressure of consumption. Some families are not very good international students at all, so they have to tighten their belts, choose cheap houses and cook and wash their own clothes. The living expenses of such students are only about 6,000-8,000 Australian dollars a year. At the other extreme, it is not uncommon for some students to spend a lot of money on sports cars, expensive mobile phones and appliances, cosmetics and luxury fashion. It is not surprising that they spend tens of thousands of Australian dollars a year. Of course, these are all directly related to the students' family background. Recently, the parents of popular international students even buy investment houses directly, because this is an investment. You can borrow more than 50% to buy a new house in Australia. The interest paid after the loan is relatively more cost-effective than the rent. You can also rent the room to others, so the investment is basically small. Moreover, after studying abroad for several years, the house will definitely rise, and it is also cost-effective to recover the investment.
Needless to say, there is no end to a rich life, because there is no end to luxury. Let's get down to business. Let's discuss the expenses of ordinary international students and how to spend them reasonably in Australia.
The living expenses of studying in Australia are generally divided into the following main parts, which we will talk about in detail:
1. Housing cost:
The best way to save money is to share with other international students. Take Melbourne as an example. Generally, it costs 150 USD a week to find a house with two bedrooms and one living room in a suburb not far from the city. Two people live for 75 a week, and three people squeeze 50 dollars a week. The key to renting a house and sharing a room is to unite roommates who can tolerate and respect each other. Everyone should make the rules of the game and share the cost equally. For example, local calls in Australia are not charged by time, but by the number of calls, so how to consciously charge according to the number of calls? Everyone should also share the cost of water and electricity reasonably. Sometimes it is inevitable to buy some furniture, whether it is new or second-hand. Everyone should talk about how to calculate the cost of depreciating furniture in the future, because everyone has to settle accounts if they want to move out. Many students didn't draw up an internal contract at first, and as a result, they passed the buck and some unpleasant things happened. The Australian study abroad network specially advises some students who are only children to pay more attention not to be too selfish, not to lose too much because of trivial matters, and to think more about other roommates. Money is not much, but friendship is priceless.
In addition, the author has also seen some special housing situations. Some international students choose to live with some elderly Australians, so that they can take care of the elderly, and the housing for the elderly can be discounted or free.
Generally speaking, the annual housing expenditure of international students is about 4,000 Australian dollars, except in special circumstances.
2. Food and clothes
Australian clothes are mainly imported from China, with prices ranging from 30- 100 Australian dollars for shirts, 80 Australian dollars for sweaters and 50- 120 Australian dollars for trousers. So relatively speaking, if you buy famous brands, you can buy genuine products in Australia, but it is better to buy ordinary clothes at home. So just bring more ordinary clothes.
Australia doesn't have its own special food. The only thing everyone talks about is the Australian BBQ (barbecue) at the party. Usually, the food of Australians is mainly western food. But don't worry too much. Fortunately, Australia is a typical multicultural country, Chinese are an important part of it, and Chinese food is the favorite food of Australians. There are many China food stores in Australia, and even supermarkets in Australia sell Asian food and vegetables, so you can buy many condiments and vegetables from China. Usually, foreign students and friends usually cook by themselves. For example, in Melbourne, you can go to the 150 historic Queen Victoria Market next to RMIT University to buy food. After 2 pm on Saturday, fruits and vegetables are super cheap. Because the market is partially closed on Sunday, all the remaining stocks are sold and can be bought in boxes. In addition, the vegetables in farmers' markets in Richmond, Fortzkrit and Springwell are also cheap and of good quality. If you are careful, you can eat well for 30 Australian dollars a week. Specific recipes can be exchanged at the Food World Forum of the Australian Study Abroad Network. To sum up, the average student's spending on food and clothing is around 2000 Australian dollars a year.
Step 3 transport
The transportation cost is mainly the ticket cost, so it is generally recommended to buy a monthly ticket, which can be cheaper. In Melbourne, the monthly ticket is generally more than 80 Australian dollars per month, and a ticket can be taken by bus, tram and train at any time. The Australian Study Abroad Network specifically advises international students not to evade tickets. First of all, it will have a bad influence and damage the image of China people. Second, if you are caught, you will be fined, and even many serious violations will be reported to the police station and immigration bureau, which will affect your visa and future immigration. Also, don't run red lights, including railway crossings, and plainclothes police are always on standby. I have seen many cases of being fined for running a red light.