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 data — Consumer, Building and Occupational Services. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in Launceston, TAS
211 courses are taught here by 6 registered schools, across postcodes 7248, 7250.
Rent here was a little below the TAS middle at the last Census. Sharing is comfortable; a place of your own is possible.
Census 2021 middle rent for Launceston was $310 a week. TAS rents have risen about 34% since then, so expect about $420 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 TAS median (April 2025).
Living in Launceston
People: 3,110 residents, median age 41, 25.5% born overseas, 17.9% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Mandarin 2.9%, Nepali 2.4%, Punjabi 0.9%, Cantonese 0.6%, Thai 0.6%.
Where people were born: England 3.3%, India 2.7%, Nepal 2.5%, China 1.8%, New Zealand 1.4%.
Income: median household income $1,439 a week; 2 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Health Care and Social Assistance, Accommodation and Food Services, Retail Trade, Education and Training.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
7 campuses in Launceston. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Launceston: No train, metro, light rail or ferry currently running within 5.0 km (a station closed for upgrade works will not show). Buses within 800 m: 110, 115, 116, 117, 120, 121, 130, 131, 140, 141, 142, 145 and 32 more (closest stop: Launceston Regional Transit Centre, Stop L1, 77 m). Plan a trip (Metro Tasmania journey planner).
Transport data: Metro Tasmania GTFS. Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Weekly budget in Launceston
About $375–$595 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 | $170–$250 | Whole homes here rent for about $420 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $25 | Greencard. International students can get 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 Launceston, scaled to the current TAS 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.
Launceston is in the Launceston area
87,345 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $280 a week. Languages: Nepali 2.3%, Mandarin 1.2%, Punjabi 0.5%, Urdu 0.4%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Riverside, Newnham, Newstead, Prospect Vale, South Launceston, Trevallyn, Legana, Kings Meadows, West Launceston, Youngtown, Mowbray, Norwood.
What this place is like to study in
Launceston 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 30% 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 | 107 | 51% |
| Undergraduate | 50 | 24% |
| Vocational (VET) | 41 | 19% |
| Other | 7 | 3% |
| School | 6 | 3% |
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$6,0006 mo
- A$7,1008 mo · A$10,256/yr
- A$7,3006 mo
- A$8,6456 mo · A$17,290/yr
- A$8,6456 mo · A$17,290/yr
- A$9,3008 mo · A$13,433/yr
- A$9,6008 mo · A$13,867/yr
- A$9,6001 yr · A$9,600/yr
- A$10,1008 mo · A$14,589/yr
- A$10,2756 mo · A$20,550/yr
- A$11,1906 mo · A$22,380/yr
- A$11,2506 wk
- A$11,6001 yr · A$11,600/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$13,1006 mo · A$26,200/yr
- A$13,8007 mo · A$23,920/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$15,0001.3 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$15,2551 yr · A$15,255/yr
- A$15,3001 yr · A$15,300/yr
- A$17,4756 mo · A$34,950/yr
- A$17,5001.3 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$17,5001.3 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$18,0001.1 yr · A$16,421/yr
- A$18,0001.3 yr · A$13,371/yr
- A$18,0001.5 yr · A$12,000/yr
- A$18,4501 yr · A$18,450/yr
- A$18,8151 yr · A$18,815/yr
- A$19,5001.5 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$19,5001.5 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$19,7256 mo · A$39,450/yr
- A$19,9756 mo · A$39,950/yr
- A$20,1256 mo · A$40,250/yr
- A$20,1256 mo · A$40,250/yr
- A$23,0001.5 yr · A$15,333/yr
- A$23,9201 yr · A$23,920/yr
- A$24,0001.5 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$24,0001.5 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$26,0002 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$26,2001 yr · A$26,200/yr
- A$27,0002 yr · A$13,500/yr
- A$28,0002 yr · A$14,000/yr
- A$28,0441.3 yr · A$20,833/yr
- A$32,0002 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$32,0002 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$36,4501 yr · A$36,450/yr