Melbourne Student Guide

Australia's cultural capital — coffee, arts, and four seasons in one day

Melbourne is often called Australia's cultural capital, known for its coffee culture, street art, and live music scene. The city has a European feel with its laneways and trams. It's slightly cheaper than Sydney and is home to Australia's largest student population. The weather is famously unpredictable — locals joke about 'four seasons in one day'.

Cost of living

• Rent: $230-420/week for a room in a sharehouse
• Groceries: $80-120/week
• Transport: $50-75/week with concession Myki
• Utilities: $25-40/week

Universities

• University of Melbourne
• Monash University
• RMIT
• Deakin University
• La Trobe University
• Swinburne

Popular student suburbs

• Footscray — Multicultural, affordable, great Vietnamese food
• Brunswick — Young, trendy, lots of cafes and bars
• Clayton — Near Monash, large Asian community, affordable
• Carlton — Next to UniMelb, Italian heritage, Lygon Street
• Fitzroy — Artsy, vintage shops, great nightlife
• Box Hill — Asian hub, cheap eats, train access

Pros

• Amazing coffee and food culture
• Free trams in CBD
• Strong arts and music scene
• Slightly cheaper than Sydney
• Very bike-friendly

Cons

• Unpredictable weather — always carry layers
• Less beach access than Sydney
• Can be grey and rainy in winter
• Some suburbs feel far from city