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: Median rents quick finder — Residential Tenancies Authority. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in South Brisbane, QLD
170 courses are taught here by 12 registered schools, across postcode 4101.
One of the more expensive suburbs in QLD. Plan to share, or look at nearby suburbs in the same area.
Census 2021 middle rent for South Brisbane was $470 a week. QLD rents have risen about 53% since then, so expect about $720 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 QLD median (April 2025).
Living in South Brisbane
People: 14,292 residents, median age 29, 49.4% born overseas, 40% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Mandarin 14.5%, Cantonese 3%, Korean 2.5%, Spanish 2.3%, Vietnamese 1.5%.
Where people were born: China 11.9%, England 3.5%, India 2.8%, New Zealand 2.7%, South Korea 2.5%.
Income: median household income $1,818 a week; 1.9 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Professional Scientific and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, Accommodation and Food Services, Education and Training.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
19 campuses in South Brisbane. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around South Brisbane: Nearest station is South Bank station (train BDBN, BDBR, BDCL, BDVL, BNBD, BNBR +20), 338 m away. Also South Bank ferry terminal (ferry F1), 433 m away, South Brisbane station (train BDBN, BDBR, BDCL, BDVL, BNBD, BNBR +20), 503 m away, QUT Gardens Point ferry terminal (ferry F1, F12, F24), 611 m away. Buses within 800 m: 50, 60, 61, M1, M2, 100, 107, 114, 116, 120, 121, 130 and 41 more (closest stop: Ernest St at Brisbane State High, stop 3, 156 m). Plan a trip (TransLink journey planner).
Transport data: TransLink GTFS, Queensland Government (CC BY 4.0). Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Weekly budget in South Brisbane
About $477–$757 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 | $290–$430 | Whole homes here rent for about $720 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $7 | 50-cent flat fares on all TransLink services, no application needed. |
| 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 South Brisbane, scaled to the current QLD 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.
South Brisbane is in the Brisbane Inner area
87,467 people across 9+ suburbs. Median rent $440 a week. Languages: Mandarin 6.1%, Spanish 2.9%, Cantonese 1.8%, Korean 1.5%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: West End, Brisbane City, New Farm, Fortitude Valley, Kangaroo Point, Spring Hill, Highgate Hill, Petrie Terrace.
All courses and suburbs in Brisbane Inner · Brisbane Council
What this place is like to study in
South Brisbane has 12 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 22% 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
| Level | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vocational (VET) | 90 | 53% |
| Undergraduate | 53 | 31% |
| Other | 10 | 6% |
| School | 9 | 5% |
| Postgraduate | 8 | 5% |
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$2,7503 mo
- A$5,0006 mo · A$9,286/yr
- A$5,0006 mo · A$9,286/yr
- A$5,3626 mo · A$10,724/yr
- A$5,4005 mo
- A$5,5623 mo
- A$5,9706 mo · A$11,940/yr
- A$6,6005 mo
- A$6,6005 mo
- A$7,0005 mo
- A$7,2006 mo · A$13,867/yr
- A$7,3006 mo · A$14,059/yr
- A$7,7006 mo · A$14,300/yr
- A$7,9006 mo · A$15,800/yr
- A$8,0005 mo
- A$8,1006 mo · A$15,600/yr
- A$8,2505 mo
- A$8,5006 mo · A$17,000/yr
- A$9,5001 yr · A$9,686/yr
- A$9,6001 yr · A$9,788/yr
- A$9,6001 yr · A$9,788/yr
- A$10,00010 mo · A$11,818/yr
- A$10,1006 mo · A$19,452/yr
- A$11,0005 mo
- A$11,5008 mo · A$17,086/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,235/yr
- A$12,0001 yr · A$12,480/yr
- A$12,1005 mo
- A$12,4281.8 yr · A$6,949/yr
- A$12,4281.8 yr · A$6,949/yr
- A$13,0001 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$13,0001 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$13,2001 yr · A$13,200/yr
- A$13,3811 yr · A$13,381/yr
- A$13,4682.3 yr · A$5,986/yr
- A$13,4682.3 yr · A$5,986/yr
- A$13,5001 yr · A$13,500/yr
- A$14,4001 yr · A$14,682/yr
- A$14,8009 mo · A$19,240/yr
- A$15,0001 yr · A$15,294/yr
- A$15,0001.2 yr · A$13,000/yr
- A$15,8001 yr · A$16,110/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,314/yr
- A$16,0001.5 yr · A$10,667/yr
- A$16,0001.5 yr · A$10,667/yr
- A$16,0006 mo · A$32,000/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$16,0001 yr · A$16,000/yr
- A$16,6001 yr · A$16,925/yr
- A$16,6001 yr · A$17,264/yr