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 Port Macquarie, NSW
18 courses are taught here by 4 registered schools, across postcode 2444.
Rent here was a little below the NSW middle at the last Census. Sharing is comfortable; a place of your own is possible.
Census 2021 middle rent for Port Macquarie was $380 a week. NSW rents have risen about 55% since then, so expect about $590 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 Port Macquarie
People: 47,693 residents, median age 48, 14.3% born overseas, 5.4% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Mandarin 0.3%, Nepali 0.3%, Spanish 0.3%, German 0.2%, Tagalog 0.2%.
Where people were born: England 4.5%, New Zealand 1.5%, Philippines 0.6%, South Africa 0.5%, India 0.5%.
Income: median household income $1,282 a week; 2.2 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Education and Training, Accommodation and Food Services.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
10 campuses in Port Macquarie. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Port Macquarie: 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: 181, 182, 183, 184, 187, 188, 322, 323, 324, 325, 327, 329 and 12 more (closest stop: Clarence St After Hay St, 164 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 Port Macquarie
About $465–$725 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 | $235–$355 | Whole homes here rent for about $590 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $50 | Opal 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 Port Macquarie, 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.
Port Macquarie is in the Port Macquarie area
86,780 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $375 a week. Languages: German 0.2%, Spanish 0.2%, Mandarin 0.2%, French 0.2%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Wauchope, Lake Cathie, Bonny Hills, Thrumster, Laurieton, King Creek, Kew, North Haven, Lakewood, Kendall, West Haven, Dunbogan.
All courses and suburbs in Port Macquarie · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
What this place is like to study in
Port Macquarie is a small teaching location. There are 4 schools here. Your choice of courses is limited. Most students travel to a larger centre for other courses. Course fees here are close to the national average.
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) | 18 | 34% |
| Postgraduate | 16 | 30% |
| Undergraduate | 12 | 23% |
| Other | 4 | 8% |
| School | 3 | 6% |
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$10,5008 mo · A$15,167/yr
- A$12,3006 mo · A$24,600/yr
- A$12,50011 mo · A$13,265/yr
- A$12,50011 mo · A$13,265/yr
- A$14,7756 mo · A$29,550/yr
- A$15,2501 yr · A$15,250/yr
- A$16,1001 yr · A$16,100/yr
- A$16,3501 yr · A$16,350/yr
- A$17,00011 mo · A$18,041/yr
- A$17,00011 mo · A$18,041/yr
- A$17,1001 yr · A$17,784/yr
- A$17,1001 yr · A$17,100/yr
- A$17,3001 yr · A$17,300/yr
- A$20,40011 mo · A$21,649/yr
- A$22,0001.4 yr · A$15,889/yr
- A$22,9001 yr · A$22,900/yr
- A$43,0004 mo
- A$99,0001 yr · A$99,000/yr