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: Rental report — Victorian Government. This is real data from your state government. It is free. It shows the rent for the exact postcode you enter.
Studying in St Albans, VIC
20 courses are taught here by 3 registered schools, across postcode 3021.
Rent here was a little below the VIC middle at the last Census. Sharing is comfortable; a place of your own is possible.
Census 2021 middle rent for St Albans was $325 a week. VIC rents have risen about 41% since then, so expect about $460 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 VIC median (April 2025).
Living in St Albans
People: 38,042 residents, median age 36, 58.4% born overseas, 69.2% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Vietnamese 29.2%, Punjabi 4.2%, Cantonese 2.4%, Arabic 2.1%, Greek 1.8%.
Where people were born: Vietnam 21.5%, India 5.8%, Philippines 3%, Malta 2.7%, Iraq 1.4%.
Income: median household income $1,205 a week; 2.8 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Health Care and Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Transport Postal and Warehousing, Retail Trade.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
4 campuses in St Albans. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around St Albans: Nearest station is St Albans Railway Station (St Albans) (train Sunbury), 47 m away. Buses within 800 m: 408, 418, 419, 421, 423, 424, 425 (closest stop: St Albans Station/McKechnie St, 40 m). Plan a trip (PTV journey planner).
Transport data: PTV GTFS, Department of Transport and Planning Victoria (CC BY 4.0). Routes change; check the trip planner before you rely on one.
Weekly budget in St Albans
About $422–$652 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 | $185–$275 | Whole homes here rent for about $460 a week; a room is usually 40–60% of that. |
|---|---|---|
| Public transport | $57 | Myki, $11.40 daily cap. Undergraduate international students can buy the International Student Travel Pass (concession); postgraduates pay full fare. |
| 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 St Albans, scaled to the current VIC 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.
St Albans is in the Brimbank area
186,067 people across 13+ suburbs. Median rent $346 a week. Languages: Vietnamese 19.3%, Punjabi 2.3%, Greek 2.3%, Arabic 2.2%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Sunshine West, Deer Park, Taylors Lakes, Sunshine North, Sydenham, Cairnlea, Keilor Downs, Sunshine, Derrimut, Kings Park, Delahey, Albanvale.
What this place is like to study in
St Albans has one main school. It is a government school, so this is a public university or TAFE campus. This usually means a real campus with grounds, a library and student services. Course fees here are about 17% above the national average. This is because of the type of schools here, not the location.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | 20 | 48% |
| Undergraduate | 12 | 29% |
| Vocational (VET) | 6 | 14% |
| Other | 3 | 7% |
| School | 1 | 2% |
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$31,0001 yr · A$31,000/yr
- A$32,6001 yr · A$32,600/yr
- A$32,6001 yr · A$32,600/yr
- A$62,0002 yr · A$31,000/yr
- A$62,6121.5 yr · A$41,741/yr
- A$62,6121.5 yr · A$41,741/yr
- A$68,5442 yr · A$34,272/yr
- A$83,8242 yr · A$41,912/yr
- A$83,8242 yr · A$41,912/yr
- A$122,4004 yr · A$30,600/yr
- A$137,6004 yr · A$34,400/yr
- A$146,9284 yr · A$36,732/yr
- A$146,9284 yr · A$36,732/yr
- A$146,9284 yr · A$36,732/yr
- A$165,6124 yr · A$41,403/yr
- A$169,8584 yr · A$42,465/yr
- A$171,8504 yr · A$42,963/yr
- A$171,8504 yr · A$42,963/yr
- A$173,2584 yr · A$43,315/yr
- A$173,2584 yr · A$43,315/yr