Read this before you plan your budget. The cost guide below is a rough guide only. It is based on Census data for this suburb, scaled to today's state rents. Each property is different. It does not tell you the price of any room, studio or apartment.
Get the real number for your postcode. Use the official rent data before you agree to anything: Private Rent Report — data.sa.gov.au. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Adelaide, SA
2,188 courses are taught here by 119 registered schools, across postcodes 5000, 5001, 5005.
One of the more expensive suburbs in SA. Plan to share, or look at nearby suburbs in the same area.
Census 2021 middle rent for Adelaide was $400 a week. SA rents have risen about 65% since then, so expect about $660 a week now. Check the exact postcode before you sign anything.
The scale compares this suburb with its state: $ cheaper, $$ medium, $$$ expensive, $$$$ most expensive. Checked ABS Census 2021, scaled to the SA median (April 2025).
Living in Adelaide
People: 18,202 residents, median age 31, 51.7% born overseas, 42.5% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Mandarin 17.8%, Cantonese 4.2%, Vietnamese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, Korean 1.5%.
Where people were born: China 15.7%, India 3.7%, England 3.6%, Malaysia 3.6%, Hong Kong 2.7%.
Income: median household income $1,365 a week; 1.8 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Accommodation and Food Services, Professional Scientific and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, Education and Training.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
162 campuses in Adelaide. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Adelaide: Nearest station is Victoria Square (light rail Glenelg to Festival Plaza, Glenelg to Royal Adelaide Hospital), 105 m away. Also Pirie St (light rail Glenelg to Festival Plaza, Glenelg to Royal Adelaide Hospital), 304 m away, City South (light rail Glenelg to Festival Plaza, Glenelg to Royal Adelaide Hospital), 549 m away, Rundle Mall (light rail Glenelg to Festival Plaza, Glenelg to Royal Adelaide Hospital), 613 m away. Buses within 800 m: C1, C2, G1, H1, J1, J2, N1, 106, 110, 112, 117, 118 and 225 more (closest stop: Stop F2 King William St - North East side, 75 m). Plan a trip (Adelaide Metro journey planner).
Transport data: Adelaide Metro GTFS (CC BY 4.0). Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Weekly budget in Adelaide
About $475–$745 a week for one student sharing a house. The visa living-cost benchmark is $571 a week ($29,710 a year).
| Room in a shared house | $265–$395 | Whole homes here rent for about $660 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $30 | Metrocard, about $4.55 peak per 2 hours. International students can apply for concession fares (about half price). |
| Groceries and eating | $110–$170 | |
| Phone and internet | $15–$30 | |
| Power, gas and water (your share) | $15–$30 | |
| Everything else (clothes, going out, medicine) | $40–$90 |
Rent: ABS Census 2021 for Adelaide, scaled to the current SA median. Transport: state operator fares. Other lines are typical ranges for a single student; your own spending will differ. Tuition and health cover (OSHC) are extra. Full cost guide.
Adelaide is in the Adelaide City area
25,026 people across 2+ suburbs. Median rent $400 a week. Languages: Mandarin 13.7%, Cantonese 3.3%, Vietnamese 1.7%, Hindi 1.4%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: North Adelaide.
What this place is like to study in
Adelaide is a study area with many schools, not one large campus. 119 schools teach here. Most are colleges inside office buildings, not universities with grounds. 49% of courses here are vocational (VET). These courses are practical and hands-on. Your classmates will be a wide range of ages. Course fees here are about 12% below the national average. Over several years, this saves a large amount.
We calculate this description from the CRICOS register: the number of schools, the course levels and the registered fees. It describes study only. To learn about rent, transport and daily life here, talk to current students and ask your school.
What level people study here
| Level | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vocational (VET) | 1,064 | 49% |
| Postgraduate | 504 | 23% |
| Undergraduate | 425 | 19% |
| Other | 177 | 8% |
| School | 18 | 1% |
Finding somewhere to live
Most international students choose one of four options. From cheapest to most expensive:
- A room in a shared house. The most common choice. In expensive cities it is often the only affordable option.
- Student accommodation. Buildings made for students, usually near campus.
- Homestay. You live with an Australian family.
- Your own studio or one-bedroom apartment. The most expensive option.
Two things to know before you sign a lease. First, the bond is usually four weeks of rent. A government office holds it, not the landlord. You get it back at the end. If someone asks you to pay a bond in cash directly to them, this is a warning sign.
Second, you usually cannot inspect a property from overseas. Book two to four weeks of temporary accommodation first. Then look at properties in person. This avoids the most common and most expensive mistake students make.
Your school's accommodation office is the best place to start. It is free. They know the area and often keep a list of checked properties.
Every course taught here
- A$9997 wk
- A$1,0804 wk
- A$1,6604 wk
- A$3,30010 wk
- A$3,30010 wk
- A$3,5003 mo
- A$3,5003 mo
- A$3,50010 wk
- A$3,50010 wk
- A$3,6006 mo · A$6,686/yr
- A$3,6006 mo · A$6,686/yr
- A$3,9003 mo
- A$3,9003 mo
- A$3,9006 mo · A$7,800/yr
- A$4,0004 mo
- A$4,0006 mo
- A$4,0408 mo · A$5,836/yr
- A$4,1403 mo
- A$4,15010 wk
- A$4,2003 mo
- A$4,2003 mo
- A$4,2903 mo
- A$4,2903 mo
- A$4,2903 mo
- A$4,2903 mo
- A$4,4006 mo · A$8,474/yr
- A$4,5603 mo
- A$4,6003 mo
- A$4,6003 mo
- A$4,6003 mo
- A$4,8007 mo · A$7,800/yr
- A$4,8006 mo · A$9,600/yr
- A$4,9803 mo
- A$4,9803 mo
- A$4,9803 mo
- A$4,9803 mo
- A$4,9803 mo
- A$4,9808 wk
- A$4,9805 mo
- A$4,9803 mo
- A$5,0006 mo
- A$5,0006 mo · A$10,000/yr
- A$5,0006 mo · A$10,000/yr
- A$5,0006 mo
- A$5,4007 mo · A$9,360/yr
- A$5,4007 mo · A$9,360/yr
- A$5,5007 wk
- A$5,6005.4 yr · A$1,040/yr
- A$5,77011 wk
- A$5,8006 mo · A$11,600/yr