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: Median rents quick finder — Residential Tenancies Authority. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Cairns City, QLD
68 courses are taught here by 6 registered schools, across postcode 4870.
Rent here was above the QLD middle at the last Census. Expect to share. Look one or two stations further out for cheaper rooms.
Census 2021 middle rent for Cairns City was $413 a week. QLD rents have risen about 53% since then, so expect about $630 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 QLD median (April 2025).
Living in Cairns City
People: 3,616 residents, median age 44, 26.2% born overseas, 16.7% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Spanish 1.9%, French 1.4%, Korean 1.3%, Mandarin 1.2%, Italian 1.2%.
Where people were born: England 4.1%, New Zealand 2.3%, India 1.6%, France 1.1%, South Korea 1.1%.
Income: median household income $1,627 a week; 1.9 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Accommodation and Food Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Construction.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
6 campuses in Cairns City. Tap a pin for the provider.
Weekly budget in Cairns City
About $437–$707 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 | $250–$380 | Whole homes here rent for about $630 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $7 | 50-cent flat fares on all TransLink services, no application needed. |
| 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 Cairns City, scaled to the current QLD 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.
Cairns City is in the Cairns - South area
105,489 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $315 a week. Languages: Japanese 1.5%, Australian Indigenous Languages 1.4%, Nepali 1%, Punjabi 0.8%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Edmonton, Mount Sheridan, Bentley Park, Mooroobool, Gordonvale, Manoora, Cairns North, Manunda, Woree, White Rock, Whitfield, Earlville.
What this place is like to study in
Cairns City has 6 schools teaching here. That is enough choice to compare options, but it is not a busy city-centre study area. Course fees here are about 61% 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) | 68 | 89% |
| Other | 7 | 9% |
| Postgraduate | 1 | 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$3,0008 wk
- A$6,0009 mo · A$8,211/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,000/yr
- A$8,0001.1 yr · A$7,429/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,000/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$8,50010 mo · A$10,045/yr
- A$8,50010 mo · A$10,045/yr
- A$8,5001 yr · A$8,500/yr
- A$9,0008 mo · A$13,000/yr
- A$9,2501 yr · A$9,250/yr
- A$9,5001 yr · A$9,500/yr
- A$9,5001 yr · A$9,500/yr
- A$9,5001 yr · A$9,500/yr
- A$11,0001 yr · A$11,000/yr
- A$11,0001 yr · A$11,000/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,0001.6 yr · A$7,429/yr
- A$12,0001.6 yr · A$7,429/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,0001.6 yr · A$7,429/yr
- A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
- A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
- A$12,7401.5 yr · A$8,493/yr
- A$12,7401.5 yr · A$8,493/yr
- A$12,7501.4 yr · A$9,208/yr
- A$12,7501.4 yr · A$9,208/yr
- A$13,4001 yr · A$13,400/yr
- A$13,5001.4 yr · A$9,616/yr
- A$13,6301.4 yr · A$9,844/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,8001.2 yr · A$12,827/yr
- A$14,9001.5 yr · A$9,933/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
- A$16,0001.4 yr · A$11,556/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$17,5001.3 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,000/yr