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 Southport, QLD
95 courses are taught here by 60 registered schools, across postcodes 4215, 4222.
Rent here was above the QLD middle at the last Census. Expect to share. Look one or two stations further out for cheaper rooms.
Census 2021 middle rent for Southport was $410 a week. QLD rents have risen about 53% since then, so expect about $630 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 Southport
People: 36,786 residents, median age 37, 38% born overseas, 25% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Mandarin 4%, Korean 2.5%, Japanese 1.9%, Spanish 1.3%, Cantonese 1.1%.
Where people were born: New Zealand 5.9%, England 3.8%, China 3.1%, South Korea 2.4%, India 2.4%.
Income: median household income $1,268 a week; 2.1 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Health Care and Social Assistance, Accommodation and Food Services, Retail Trade, Construction.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
76 campuses in Southport. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around Southport: Nearest station is Nerang Street station (light rail L1), 282 m away. Also Southport turnback (light rail L1), 665 m away, Southport station (light rail L1), 700 m away, Southport South station (light rail L1), 1.0 km away. Buses within 800 m: 70, 704, 711, 712, 713, 715, 719, 731, 735, 737, 741, 742 and 1 more (closest stop: Southport Medical Precinct, 280 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 Southport
About $437–$707 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 | $250–$380 | Whole homes here rent for about $630 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 Southport, 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.
Southport is in the Southport area
64,482 people across 4+ suburbs. Median rent $420 a week. Languages: Mandarin 3.7%, Korean 1.9%, Japanese 1.8%, Spanish 1%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Ashmore, Parkwood, Molendinar.
What this place is like to study in
Southport is a study area with many schools, not one large campus. 60 schools teach here. Most are colleges inside office buildings, not universities with grounds. 55% 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 25% 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) | 450 | 55% |
| Undergraduate | 168 | 21% |
| Postgraduate | 95 | 12% |
| Other | 93 | 11% |
| School | 9 | 1% |
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$55,4602 yr · A$27,730/yr
- A$55,5001.5 yr · A$37,000/yr
- A$56,2501.5 yr · A$37,500/yr
- A$57,1402 yr · A$28,570/yr
- A$58,5001.5 yr · A$39,000/yr
- A$58,9202 yr · A$29,460/yr
- A$61,5001.5 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$61,5001.5 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$61,5001.5 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$69,7501.5 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$69,7501.5 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$72,7501.5 yr · A$48,500/yr
- A$73,0002 yr · A$36,500/yr
- A$73,0002 yr · A$36,500/yr
- A$75,0002 yr · A$37,500/yr
- A$77,0001 yr · A$77,000/yr
- A$81,0002.5 yr · A$32,400/yr
- A$81,0002 yr · A$40,500/yr
- A$81,0002 yr · A$40,500/yr
- A$82,0002 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$82,0002 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$82,0002 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$82,0002 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$82,0002 yr · A$41,000/yr
- A$83,0002 yr · A$41,500/yr
- A$84,0002 yr · A$42,000/yr
- A$84,0002 yr · A$42,000/yr
- A$86,0002 yr · A$43,000/yr
- A$87,0002 yr · A$43,500/yr
- A$89,0002 yr · A$44,500/yr
- A$90,0002 yr · A$45,000/yr
- A$93,0002 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$93,0002 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$93,0002 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$93,0002 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$93,0002 yr · A$46,500/yr
- A$105,0002 yr · A$52,500/yr
- A$109,5003 yr · A$36,500/yr
- A$126,0002.5 yr · A$50,400/yr
- A$145,5003 yr · A$48,500/yr
- A$168,0004 yr · A$42,000/yr
- A$194,0002 yr · A$97,000/yr
- A$196,8754 yr · A$49,219/yr
- A$231,0003 yr · A$77,000/yr
- A$338,0004 yr · A$84,500/yr