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: 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 Hawthorn, VIC

195 courses are taught here by 3 registered schools, across postcode 3122.

Courses taught here195
Schools32 government
Average feeA$41,645per year · Australia A$30,355
Cheapest courseA$6,000whole course
Campuses5
$$$$$$$$$$ Above the VIC middle Checked for this area · about A$560 per week

Rent here was above the VIC middle at the last Census. Expect to share. Look one or two stations further out for cheaper rooms.

Census 2021 middle rent for Hawthorn was $400 a week. VIC rents have risen about 41% since then, so expect about $560 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 Hawthorn

People: 22,322 residents, median age 34, 28.3% born overseas, 20.9% speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken: Mandarin 4.2%, Greek 1.6%, Cantonese 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Hindi 1%.

Where people were born: India 3.5%, England 3.1%, China 3.1%, New Zealand 1.7%, Malaysia 1.6%.

Income: median household income $2,145 a week; 2.1 people per home on average.

Where residents work: Professional Scientific and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, Education and Training, Retail Trade.

Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.

43 campuses in Hawthorn. Tap a pin for the provider.

Getting around Hawthorn: Nearest station is Manningtree Rd/Glenferrie Rd #72 (light rail 16), 287 m away. Also Urquhart St/Glenferrie Rd #71 (light rail 16), 311 m away, Burwood Rd/Glenferrie Rd #73 (light rail 16), 365 m away, Fordholm Rd/Riversdale Rd #31 (light rail 70, 75), 437 m away. Bus within 800 m: 609 (closest stop: Elgin Pl/Power St, 603 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 Hawthorn

About $462–$712 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$225–$335Whole homes here rent for about $560 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that.
Public transport$57Myki, $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 Hawthorn, 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.

Hawthorn is in the Boroondara area

167,900 people across 12+ suburbs. Median rent $451 a week. Languages: Mandarin 10.4%, Cantonese 3%, Greek 2.7%, Italian 1.4%.

Nearby suburbs in the same area: Glen Iris, Kew, Camberwell, Balwyn North, Hawthorn East, Surrey Hills, Balwyn, Ashburton, Canterbury, Kew East, Deepdene.

All courses and suburbs in Boroondara · Boroondara Council

What this place is like to study in

Hawthorn 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 37% 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

LevelCoursesShare
Undergraduate195 47%
Postgraduate177 43%
Vocational (VET)27 7%
Other12 3%
School2 0%

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$193,2004 yr · A$48,300/yr
  2. A$196,8004 yr · A$49,200/yr
  3. A$201,1504.5 yr · A$44,700/yr
  4. A$203,0005 yr · A$40,600/yr
  5. A$208,3504.5 yr · A$46,300/yr
  6. A$208,3504.5 yr · A$46,300/yr
  7. A$215,0005 yr · A$43,000/yr
  8. A$216,7005 yr · A$43,340/yr
  9. A$216,7005 yr · A$43,340/yr
  10. A$216,7005 yr · A$43,340/yr
  11. A$223,5005 yr · A$44,700/yr
  12. A$224,8504 yr · A$56,213/yr
  13. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  14. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  15. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  16. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  17. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  18. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  19. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  20. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  21. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  22. A$231,5005 yr · A$46,300/yr
  23. A$241,5005 yr · A$48,300/yr
  24. A$241,5005 yr · A$48,300/yr
  25. A$241,5005 yr · A$48,300/yr
  26. A$241,5005 yr · A$48,300/yr
  27. A$241,5005 yr · A$48,300/yr
  28. A$241,5005 yr · A$48,300/yr
  29. A$250,3203 yr · A$83,440/yr
  30. A$259,0006.5 yr · A$39,846/yr
  31. A$268,9144 yr · A$67,229/yr
  32. A$313,9506.5 yr · A$48,300/yr
  33. A$03 yr
  34. A$03 yr
  35. A$01.5 yr
  36. A$05 yr
  37. A$03 yr
  38. A$03 yr
  39. A$03 yr
  40. A$04 yr
  41. A$02 yr
  42. A$02 yr
  43. A$02 yr
  44. A$02 yr
  45. A$02 yr