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 Petersham, NSW

70 courses are taught here by 6 registered schools, across postcode 2049.

Courses taught here70
Schools61 government
Average feeA$14,311per year · Australia A$30,355
Cheapest courseA$2,500whole course
Campuses6
$$$$$$$$$$ Above the NSW middle Checked for this area · about A$700 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 Petersham was $450 a week. NSW rents have risen about 55% since then, so expect about $700 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 Petersham

People: 8,200 residents, median age 36, 27.5% born overseas, 19.6% speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken: Portuguese 2.6%, Greek 2%, Italian 1.8%, Spanish 1.7%, Mandarin 1.6%.

Where people were born: England 4.5%, New Zealand 2%, China 1.3%, Italy 1.2%, Vietnam 1%.

Income: median household income $2,217 a week; 2.2 people per home on average.

Where residents work: Professional Scientific and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, Education and Training, Public Administration and Safety.

Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.

12 campuses in Petersham. Tap a pin for the provider.

Getting around Petersham: Nearest station is Petersham Station (train T2, T3, T7, T9), 73 m away. Also Lewisham Station (train T2, T3, T7, T9), 722 m away, Stanmore Station (train T2, T3, T7, T9), 805 m away, Lewisham West Light Rail (light rail L1), 1.1 km away. Buses within 800 m: 412, 413, 428, 440, 445, 480, 483, N50, 428X, 438N, 461N, 461X (closest stop: Petersham Station, 73 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 Petersham

About $510–$790 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$280–$420Whole homes here rent for about $700 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 Petersham, 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.

Petersham is in the Marrickville - Sydenham - Petersham area

54,771 people across 7+ suburbs. Median rent $495 a week. Languages: Greek 4.7%, Vietnamese 4.3%, Portuguese 1.7%, Cantonese 1.6%.

Nearby suburbs in the same area: Marrickville, Stanmore, Enmore, St Peters, Tempe, Sydenham.

All courses and suburbs in Marrickville - Sydenham - Petersham · Inner West Council

What this place is like to study in

Petersham 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 53% 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)60 86%
Other6 9%
Postgraduate4 6%

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$2,5001 yr · A$2,500/yr
  2. A$2,78010 wk
  3. A$2,78010 wk
  4. A$4,0005 mo
  5. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  6. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  7. A$6,0001 yr · A$6,000/yr
  8. A$6,4501 yr · A$6,450/yr
  9. A$6,4501 yr · A$6,450/yr
  10. A$6,4501 yr · A$6,450/yr
  11. A$6,4501 yr · A$6,450/yr
  12. A$6,4501 yr · A$6,450/yr
  13. A$9,0001 yr · A$9,000/yr
  14. A$9,0001 yr · A$9,000/yr
  15. A$9,0001 yr · A$9,000/yr
  16. A$10,0001 yr · A$10,000/yr
  17. A$10,2255 mo
  18. A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
  19. A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
  20. A$12,0001 yr · A$12,000/yr
  21. A$12,3006 mo · A$24,600/yr
  22. A$12,50011 mo · A$13,265/yr
  23. A$12,5006 mo · A$25,000/yr
  24. A$12,5001.5 yr · A$8,333/yr
  25. A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
  26. A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
  27. A$12,5001 yr · A$12,500/yr
  28. A$12,50011 mo · A$13,265/yr
  29. A$13,2001.4 yr · A$9,152/yr
  30. A$13,3505 mo
  31. A$13,5001.3 yr · A$10,800/yr
  32. A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
  33. A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
  34. A$14,0001 yr · A$14,000/yr
  35. A$14,7756 mo · A$29,550/yr
  36. A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
  37. A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
  38. A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
  39. A$15,0001 yr · A$15,000/yr
  40. A$15,2501 yr · A$15,250/yr
  41. A$16,1001 yr · A$16,100/yr
  42. A$16,2005 mo
  43. A$16,3501 yr · A$16,350/yr
  44. A$16,7502 yr · A$8,375/yr
  45. A$17,00011 mo · A$18,041/yr
  46. A$17,00011 mo · A$18,041/yr
  47. A$17,1001 yr · A$17,100/yr
  48. A$17,6001.9 yr · A$9,061/yr
  49. A$17,6001.9 yr · A$9,061/yr
  50. A$18,0001 yr · A$18,000/yr