Read this before you plan your budget. The cost guide below is a rough guide only. It is based on the middle rent for all of New South Wales. It is not the rent for this suburb. Rents change a lot inside one city. A suburb near the centre can cost twice as much as a suburb further out. 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: Rent Check — NSW Government. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Callaghan, NSW
213 courses are taught here by 1 registered school, across postcode 2308.
The most expensive place to rent in Australia. Plan your budget carefully. Expect to share a house. Look at areas further from the city centre with good public transport.
The scale compares Australian states: $ cheaper, $$ medium, $$$ expensive, $$$$ most expensive. Source: ABS — Latest insights into the rental market, April 2025.
Living in Callaghan
People: 1,358 residents, median age 20, 10.5% born overseas, 9.4% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Cantonese 1.5%, Mandarin 1.1%, Arabic 0.9%, German 0.7%, Sinhalese 0.4%.
Where people were born: India 1%, England 0.8%, Hong Kong 0.8%, Zimbabwe 0.8%, South Africa 0.7%.
Income: median household income $0 a week; 0 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Retail Trade, Accommodation and Food Services, Education and Training, Health Care and Social Assistance.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
2 campuses in Callaghan. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Callaghan: Nearest station is Warabrook Station (train HUN), 1.0 km away. Buses within 800 m: 11, 24, 27, 47, 160, 260, 261, 267, 270 (closest stop: The Wollotuka Institute, Ring Rd, 269 m). Plan a trip (Transport NSW trip planner).
Transport data: Transport for NSW Open Data (CC BY 4.0). Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Callaghan is in the Newcastle area
179,000 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $400 a week. Languages: Mandarin 1%, Macedonian 0.6%, Arabic 0.5%, Greek 0.4%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Wallsend, Merewether, New Lambton, Mayfield, Fletcher, Maryland, Adamstown, Elermore Vale, Adamstown Heights, Lambton, Waratah, Hamilton.
What this place is like to study in
Callaghan has one main school. It is a government school, so this is a public university or TAFE campus. This usually means a real campus with grounds, a library and student services. Course fees here are about 55% above the national average. This is because of the type of schools here, not the location.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 213 | 65% |
| Undergraduate | 107 | 33% |
| Other | 8 | 2% |
| Vocational (VET) | 1 | 0% |
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$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3644 yr · A$55,841/yr
- A$223,3642 yr · A$111,682/yr
- A$512,1985 yr · A$102,440/yr