Insider’s Guide to Living in brisbane as a Student: Tips and Tricks

Brisbane – the lively capital of Queensland, has emerged as one of the most popular study destinations for international students. Sure, this city boasts impressive educational infrastructure, but it is also packed with beautiful historical landmarks, vibrant shopping arcades, sun-soaked beaches, bustling bars and thriving music and arts scenes. If you’ve ever wished to study in Brisbane as an international student, student living Brisbane read on to find out what it is like to be living in Brisbane as a student. 

How Many People Live In Brisbane

According to MacroTrends, around 2,406,000 people are living in Brisbane, with a majority of the population concentrated in the metro area. This figure is up by 1.43% from 2019, which shows that more and more people (especially students) are calling Brisbane their home. You will find most of the people living in Brisbane talk in English, but other languages like Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Spanish and Hindi are spoken by a small subset of the Brisbane population. 

Best Places To Live In Brisbane

Brisbane is an important business hub in Australia, with strengths in information technology, mining, real estate, banking, insurance, transportation and food. All of this has significantly improved the quality of life in Brisbane, with some suburbs benefiting the most. You will also find lots of student accommodation Brisbane The best suburbs to live in Brisbane are –

The Cost of Living In Brisbane

Brisbane’s close proximity to Asia and the Pacific region, as well as its abundance of world-class universities, has led to an increase in the number of international students in recent years. Today, students from over 160 countries have made Brisbane their home. But what exactly is the cost of living in Brisbane, Brisbane living cost student? 

The cost of living in Brisbane, and student living in Brisbane decreases as you move further away from the city center. This is a universal fact for every major student destination. If you do decide to find student accommodation in the inner city of Brisbane, you will probably spend around $565 per week for a room in a shared house. Alternatively, you can go for a $359 per week serviced apartment, or a $620 per week one-bedroom unit, that you can have all to yourself.

The living cost in Brisbane for international students of accommodation in the suburbs of Brisbane is relatively cheaper. You can get a one-bedroom unit for only $330 per week, while a room in a share house in the suburbs goes for around $205 per week, depending on the number of bedrooms available. If you choose to live in the suburbs, bear in mind that you may have to shell out more on transportation. So, weight all your options well before making a final decision on your student accommodation in Brisbane.

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Student living in Brisbane for international students includes cost of transport, many of Brisbane’s top university campuses are situated within or just out of the CBD, and are all easily accessible by train or bus. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get a go card. This magic card works on trains, trams, ferries and buses, including extended trips to the Gold Coast. Student living Brisbane require a minimum spend of $30 that includes $20 credit and a $10 card deposit. 

The cost of food in Brisbane largely depends on your eating habits. If you choose to cook and eat at home, you can generally expect to spend around $2 per breakfast, $5 per lunch, and $11 per dinner. Eating out in Brisbane can prove to be more expensive. Breakfast at a cafe in Brisbane will cost around $15 whereas for lunch and dinner, you will likely spend around $16-$25.  

Pro tip – There is no tipping culture in Australia. Waiters and servers get paid a liveable minimum wage, which is why eating out may cost a little bit more than you expect. Eateries in Brisbane may ask if you would like to tip, but it’s not necessary.

Where To Live In Brisbane As A Student

Like any other major city of Australia, it is going to be more expensive to live directly in the city than it is to live out in the suburbs. Whatever your pick maybe, UniAcco has you covered. Here are some of the best areas to live in Brisbane in Brisbane – 

St Lucia

1. Unilodge Twelfth Avenue

Unilodge Twelfth Avenue is just a short distance away from famous universities like The University of Queensland, Union College and USC South Bank. Since this student accommodation is located in St Lucia, you will find a lot of students around. This student accommodation in Brisbane city has made student living in Brisbane a lot more easier. There are many great student-friendly eateries around like Subway, Dominos and KaiKai Chicken. Unilodge Twelfth Avenue has a wide range of rooms that come fully furnished with all the latest amenities and services. For an accommodation located so close to the city centre, Unilodge Twelfth Avenue is one of the best places to be living in Brisbane as a student.

Room types – 

• Private 1 Bed Apartment
• Studio Apartment with Private En-suite

Accommodation amenities – 

Electronic key fob entry system, a BBQ area, car parking space, a garden, social events, a communal area, a study area, an on-site gym, a games room and WiFi.

Price range –

$345 – $445/week

Frog’s Hollow

2. UniLodge on Margaret

This student accommodation in Brisbane can boast the number of amenities as UniLodge on Margaret. This student accommodation offers students car parking, a BBQ area, vending machines, a lounge area and so much more! UniLodge on Margaret is just 2-minutes away from Central Queensland University and other top universities. There are also many budget-friendly restaurants in the vicinity like Shabuhouse, The Victory Hotel and The Pancake Manor.

Room types –

• Studio Single
• Studio Double
• Studio Corner Twin
• 1 Bedroom Apartment 

Accommodation amenities – 

A BBQ area, car parking space, vending machines, CCTV security, specially-abled access, parcel receipt service, a lounge area, bike storage, 24/7 dedicated support, a communal area, a study area and an elevator. 

Price range –

$300 – $462/week

Kangaroo Point

3. UniLodge Shafston

UniLodge Shafston is located in the lively suburb of Kangaroo Point, where everything you need is just an arm’s length away. This student accommodation in Brisbane is located just 10-minutes away from The University of Queensland, Brisbane City Campus. The studio rooms come fully furnished with a bed, a wardrobe and a study desk & chair. Moreover, UniLodge Shafston gives students access to many communal amenities such as a gym, vending machines, a garden and much more. At only $200/week, UniLodge Shafston is one of the cheapest student accommodation for living in Brisbane.

Room types –

• Twin Studio
• Double Studio

Accommodation amenities – 

A laundry room, all-inclusive utility bills, vending machines, bike storage, 24/7 dedicated support, an on-site gym, parcel receipt service and a garden. 

Price range –

$200/week

Living And Working In Brisbane

Brisbane is one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities for employment and offers a great range of opportunities in both the public and private sectors. Employers usually put out advertised jobs on sites like Australian Government Career Information, CareerOne, Centrelink, MyCareer and Seek. 

International students studying in Brisbane can work up to 40 hours every two weeks and unlimited hours during holiday breaks. The great thing about Australian labour laws is that international students are entitled to a minimum rate of pay per hour no matter what job they do. This allows international students to make some extra money to relieve some of the financial burdens of studying abroad.