Australian Courses

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.

Courses taught here2,188
Schools1197 government
Average feeA$26,590per year · Australia A$30,355
Cheapest courseA$999whole course
Campuses153
$$$$$$$$$$ Much more than the SA middle Checked for this area · about A$660 per week

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–$395Whole homes here rent for about $660 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that.
Public transport$30Metrocard, 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.

All courses and suburbs in Adelaide City · Adelaide Council

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

LevelCoursesShare
Vocational (VET)1,064 49%
Postgraduate504 23%
Undergraduate425 19%
Other177 8%
School18 1%

Finding somewhere to live

Most international students choose one of four options. From cheapest to most expensive:

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

  1. A$5,8501 yr · A$5,850/yr
  2. A$5,8509 mo · A$7,605/yr
  3. A$5,9806 mo
  4. A$6,00010 mo · A$7,091/yr
  5. A$6,0007 mo · A$10,400/yr
  6. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  7. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  8. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  9. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  10. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  11. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  12. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  13. A$6,0006 mo
  14. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  15. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  16. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  17. A$6,0006 mo
  18. A$6,0005 mo
  19. A$6,0005 mo
  20. A$6,0006 mo · A$12,000/yr
  21. A$6,2506 mo · A$12,500/yr
  22. A$6,2506 mo · A$12,500/yr
  23. A$6,3501 yr · A$6,350/yr
  24. A$6,3501 yr · A$6,350/yr
  25. A$6,5003 mo
  26. A$6,5006 mo · A$13,000/yr
  27. A$6,5008 mo · A$9,657/yr
  28. A$6,5006 mo · A$13,000/yr
  29. A$6,5004 mo
  30. A$6,5005 mo
  31. A$6,5006 mo · A$13,000/yr
  32. A$6,6006 mo
  33. A$6,6006 mo
  34. A$6,6006 mo
  35. A$6,6006 mo
  36. A$6,6006 mo
  37. A$6,9007 mo · A$11,960/yr
  38. A$7,0007 mo · A$11,375/yr
  39. A$7,0009 mo · A$9,333/yr
  40. A$7,00010 mo · A$8,273/yr
  41. A$7,00010 mo · A$8,273/yr
  42. A$7,0006 mo · A$14,000/yr
  43. A$7,00010 mo · A$8,273/yr
  44. A$7,0006 mo · A$14,000/yr
  45. A$7,0006 mo · A$14,000/yr
  46. A$7,0005 mo
  47. A$7,0006 mo
  48. A$7,0006 mo · A$14,000/yr
  49. A$7,0007 mo · A$11,375/yr
  50. A$7,0009 mo · A$9,333/yr