Recently, we have seen many questions from new members about the cost of studying abroad in Australia, because the cost is directly related to the investment in studying abroad. Although the Australian Immigration Bureau stipulates that the living expenses of the guarantee fund must be 12, Australian dollars, in fact, this data cannot reflect the actual living expenses because of regional differences, different living habits and methods. A well-known overseas study service company located in Melbourne, Australia, has made some simple summaries based on the experience of senior consultants of the company and the feedback survey of old members of the website. If there is any incompleteness, please criticize and correct me.
As the exchange rate between Australian dollar and RMB hovers between 1:5-1:6.5, new international students often get used to changing any commodity into RMB, so they feel the pressure of consumption. Some families are not very good international students at all, so they have to scrimp and diet, choose cheap houses and cook and wash their own clothes. Such students only spend about 6,-8, Australian dollars a year on living expenses. At the other extreme, there are also some students who spend a lot of money on sports cars, expensive mobile phones and appliances, cosmetics and luxury fashion, which are not uncommon. It is not surprising that they spend tens of thousands of Australian dollars a year. Of course, these are directly related to the students' family background. Recently, parents of overseas students who are popular even buy investment houses directly, because this is an investment. You can borrow more than 5% to buy a new house in Australia, and the interest paid after the loan is relatively more cost-effective than the rent, and you can rent out the rooms to others, so the investment is basically small. Moreover, after studying abroad for several years, the house will definitely rise, and it is also very cost-effective to recover the investment.
Needless to say, there is no end to luxury. Let's get to the point. 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. Let's talk about them in detail:
1. Housing expenses:
The best way to save money is to share with other international students. Take Melbourne as an example. Generally, it costs $15 a week to find a two-bedroom and one-bedroom house in a suburb not far from the urban area, and it costs $5 a week for two people to live in 75 a week and three people to squeeze in. The key to renting and sharing a house is to unite the roommates who live together and be able to tolerate and respect each other. Everyone should set the rules of the game and share the expenses equally. For example, local calls in Australia are not counted by time, but by number of calls, so how to consciously record the charges according to the number of calls. Everyone should also allocate the water and electricity costs reasonably. Sometimes it's inevitable to buy some furniture, whether it's new or second-hand. Everyone should talk about how to calculate the cost of depreciated furniture in the future, because if you want to move out, everyone has to settle accounts. Many students didn't draw up internal contracts at first, but as a result, they pushed each other for new expenses, and some unpleasant things happened. In particular, the Australian study abroad network suggests that some students who are only children should pay more attention not to be too selfish, not to lose too much because of small things, but to think more about other roommates. There is not much money, but friendship is priceless.
In addition, I have seen some special housing situations. Some overseas students choose to live with some elderly Australians, so they can take care of the elderly, and the housing for the elderly can be preferential or free.
Generally speaking, the annual housing expenditure of international students is about 4, Australian dollars, except in special circumstances.
2. Food and clothing
Australian clothing is mainly imported from China, and the price is 3-1 Australian dollars for shirts, 8 Australian dollars for sweaters and 5-12 Australian dollars for trousers. So relatively speaking, if you buy famous brands, you can buy authentic goods in Australia, and buying ordinary clothes is not as good as buying them in China. So it's good to bring more common clothes.
Australia doesn't have its own special food, and the only thing everyone talks about is the Australian BBQ (BBQ) at parties. Usually, Australian food is mainly western food. But don't worry too much. Fortunately, Australia is a typical multicultural country, where Chinese are an important part, and Chinese food is the favorite food of Australians. There are many Chinese 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 their own meals. For example, in Melbourne, you can go to the 15-year-old 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 surplus stocks are sold, so you can buy them in boxes. In addition, vegetables from farmers' markets in Richmond, Footscray, Springvale are also cheap and of good quality. If you are careful, you can eat well for 3 Australian dollars a week. For specific recipes, you can go to the Food World Forum of the Australian Study Abroad Network to communicate. Let's summarize here that the average student's food and clothing costs about 2 Australian dollars a year.
3. Transportation
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 8 Australian dollars per month, and a ticket can be taken by BUS, TRAM and TRAIN at any time. In particular, the Australian Study Abroad Network advises international students not to evade tickets. First, it will have a bad influence and damage the image of China people. The second is that if you are caught, you will be fined, and you will even have to report to the police station and immigration bureau for many serious violations, which will affect your visa and future immigrants. Also, don't run red lights, including railway crossings, and plainclothes police are always on the move. I have seen many cases of being fined for running a red light.