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: Rental report — Victorian Government. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Dandenong, VIC
76 courses are taught here by 12 registered schools, across postcode 3175.
Rent here was a little below the VIC middle at the last Census. Sharing is comfortable; a place of your own is possible.
Census 2021 middle rent for Dandenong was $319 a week. VIC rents have risen about 41% since then, so expect about $450 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 VIC median (April 2025).
Living in Dandenong
People: 30,127 residents, median age 33, 60.5% born overseas, 67.8% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Punjabi 4.4%, Tamil 3.5%, Sinhalese 3.1%, Mandarin 2.8%, Vietnamese 2.2%.
Where people were born: Afghanistan Age 11.5%, India 9.5%, Sri Lanka 5.4%, Pakistan 4%, North Macedonia 2.7%.
Income: median household income $1,267 a week; 2.8 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Manufacturing, Health Care and Social Assistance, Construction, Retail Trade.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
14 campuses in Dandenong. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Dandenong: Nearest station is Dandenong Railway Station (train Traralgon, Pakenham, Cranbourne), 20 m away. Buses within 800 m: 695, 697, 800, 802, 804, 811, 812, 813, 814, 828, 843, 844 and 16 more (closest stop: Dandenong Station/Foster St, 27 m). Plan a trip (PTV journey planner).
Transport data: PTV GTFS, Department of Transport and Planning Victoria (CC BY 4.0). Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Weekly budget in Dandenong
About $417–$647 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 | $180–$270 | Whole homes here rent for about $450 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $57 | Myki, $11.40 daily cap. Undergraduate international students can buy the International Student Travel Pass (concession); postgraduates pay full fare. |
| 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 Dandenong, scaled to the current VIC 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.
Dandenong is in the Dandenong area
193,644 people across 12+ suburbs. Median rent $350 a week. Languages: Vietnamese 10.3%, Khmer 5.3%, Mandarin 4.4%, Greek 3.5%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Noble Park, Keysborough, Dandenong North, Springvale, Clayton South, Springvale South, Dingley Village, Lyndhurst, Clarinda, Noble Park North, Bangholme.
All courses and suburbs in Dandenong · Greater Dandenong Council
What this place is like to study in
Dandenong has 12 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 50% 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) | 54 | 71% |
| Undergraduate | 11 | 14% |
| Postgraduate | 8 | 11% |
| Other | 2 | 3% |
| School | 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$1,0004 wk
- A$1,5004 wk
- A$1,5003 wk
- A$2,5006 mo · A$4,815/yr
- A$6,50011 mo · A$7,042/yr
- A$6,7501 yr · A$7,020/yr
- A$7,0026 mo · A$14,004/yr
- A$7,0026 mo · A$14,004/yr
- A$7,5001 yr · A$7,800/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,320/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,320/yr
- A$8,0001 yr · A$8,320/yr
- A$9,0001 yr · A$9,000/yr
- A$10,0006 mo · A$20,000/yr
- A$10,5001.5 yr · A$7,000/yr
- A$10,5001 yr · A$10,920/yr
- A$10,6101 yr · A$10,610/yr
- A$10,75010 mo · A$12,705/yr
- A$10,75010 mo · A$12,705/yr
- A$11,0001.3 yr · A$8,800/yr
- A$11,0001.3 yr · A$8,800/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$12,25010 mo · A$14,477/yr
- A$12,25010 mo · A$14,477/yr
- A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
- A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
- A$13,5001.3 yr · A$10,800/yr
- A$13,5001.3 yr · A$10,800/yr
- A$14,3061 yr · A$14,306/yr
- A$14,3701.5 yr · A$9,580/yr
- A$14,3701.5 yr · A$9,580/yr
- A$14,4161 yr · A$14,416/yr
- A$14,4161 yr · A$14,416/yr
- A$14,5001.5 yr · A$9,921/yr
- A$15,0001.3 yr · A$11,143/yr
- A$16,5841.2 yr · A$13,688/yr
- A$17,4141.2 yr · A$14,373/yr
- A$17,75611 mo · A$19,236/yr
- A$18,0001 yr · A$18,000/yr
- A$18,0001.4 yr · A$12,649/yr
- A$18,0901.4 yr · A$13,249/yr
- A$18,09010 mo · A$22,397/yr
- A$18,8101.5 yr · A$12,540/yr
- A$19,0001.3 yr · A$14,114/yr
- A$19,5001.4 yr · A$14,282/yr
- A$19,5001.4 yr · A$14,282/yr
- A$20,0001 yr · A$20,000/yr
- A$20,0001 yr · A$20,000/yr
- A$20,0001 yr · A$20,000/yr