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: 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 Parramatta, NSW

145 courses are taught here by 89 registered schools, across postcode 2150.

Courses taught here145
Schools892 government
Average feeA$20,442per year · Australia A$30,355
Cheapest courseA$1,800whole course
Campuses106
$$$$$$$$$$ Above the NSW middle Checked for this area · about A$680 per week

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

Census 2021 middle rent for Parramatta was $440 a week. NSW rents have risen about 55% since then, so expect about $680 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 NSW median (April 2025).

Living in Parramatta

People: 30,211 residents, median age 32, 69.2% born overseas, 68.8% speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken: Hindi 10.4%, Mandarin 8.8%, Nepali 5.3%, Tamil 5%, Cantonese 3.7%.

Where people were born: India 30.9%, China 8.9%, Nepal 5.5%, Philippines 2.5%, Iran 1.3%.

Income: median household income $2,092 a week; 2.4 people per home on average.

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

Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.

112 campuses in Parramatta. Tap a pin for the provider.

Getting around Parramatta: Nearest station is Church Street Light Rail (light rail L4), 145 m away. Also Parramatta Square Light Rail (light rail L4), 287 m away, Parramatta Station (train T1, T2, T5, T7, 427, 428 +4), 461 m away, Prince Alfred Square Light Rail (light rail L4), 597 m away. Buses within 800 m: 52, 80, 521, 523, 524, 525, 545, 546, 549, 550, 600, 601 and 33 more (closest stop: Westfield Parramatta, Argyle St, 318 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.

Weekly budget in Parramatta

About $500–$780 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$270–$410Whole homes here rent for about $680 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that.
Public transport$50Opal adult fares, capped at $50 a week. International students are not eligible for concession fares unless on an eligible scholarship.
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 Parramatta, scaled to the current NSW 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.

Parramatta is in the Parramatta area

152,128 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $420 a week. Languages: Hindi 6.3%, Tamil 6%, Mandarin 5.1%, Gujarati 4.2%.

Nearby suburbs in the same area: Westmead, Toongabbie, Wentworthville, Winston Hills, North Parramatta, Northmead, North Rocks, Pendle Hill, Girraween, Harris Park, Rosehill, Constitution Hill.

All courses and suburbs in Parramatta · Parramatta Council

What this place is like to study in

Parramatta is a study area with many schools, not one large campus. 89 schools teach here. Most are colleges inside office buildings, not universities with grounds. 66% of courses here are vocational (VET). These courses are practical and hands-on. Your classmates will be a wide range of ages. Course fees here are about 33% 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

LevelCoursesShare
Vocational (VET)886 66%
Postgraduate235 18%
Undergraduate145 11%
Other67 5%

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$104,3283 yr · A$34,776/yr
  2. A$104,3583 yr · A$34,786/yr
  3. A$107,5923 yr · A$35,864/yr
  4. A$107,5923 yr · A$35,864/yr
  5. A$107,5923 yr · A$35,864/yr
  6. A$107,5923 yr · A$35,864/yr
  7. A$108,2503 yr · A$36,083/yr
  8. A$111,1443 yr · A$37,048/yr
  9. A$111,1823 yr · A$37,061/yr
  10. A$114,4563 yr · A$38,152/yr
  11. A$114,4563 yr · A$38,152/yr
  12. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  13. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  14. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  15. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  16. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  17. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  18. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  19. A$114,6963 yr · A$38,232/yr
  20. A$114,7493 yr · A$38,250/yr
  21. A$116,4963 yr · A$38,832/yr
  22. A$118,8723 yr · A$39,624/yr
  23. A$118,8723 yr · A$39,624/yr
  24. A$118,8723 yr · A$39,624/yr
  25. A$118,8723 yr · A$39,624/yr
  26. A$118,8943 yr · A$39,631/yr
  27. A$118,9113 yr · A$39,637/yr
  28. A$120,3603 yr · A$40,120/yr
  29. A$120,3603 yr · A$40,120/yr
  30. A$120,3605 yr · A$24,072/yr
  31. A$122,7363 yr · A$40,912/yr
  32. A$122,7363 yr · A$40,912/yr
  33. A$122,7363 yr · A$40,912/yr
  34. A$122,7363 yr · A$40,912/yr
  35. A$128,0643.1 yr · A$41,883/yr
  36. A$129,9844 yr · A$32,496/yr
  37. A$129,9844 yr · A$32,496/yr
  38. A$129,9844 yr · A$32,496/yr
  39. A$129,9844 yr · A$32,496/yr
  40. A$139,1044 yr · A$34,776/yr
  41. A$139,1044 yr · A$34,776/yr
  42. A$139,1044 yr · A$34,776/yr
  43. A$139,1044 yr · A$34,776/yr
  44. A$139,1044 yr · A$34,776/yr
  45. A$143,4564 yr · A$35,864/yr
  46. A$143,4564 yr · A$35,864/yr
  47. A$148,1924 yr · A$37,048/yr
  48. A$148,1924 yr · A$37,048/yr
  49. A$152,6084 yr · A$38,152/yr
  50. A$152,6084 yr · A$38,152/yr