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 St Lucia, QLD
171 courses are taught here by 2 registered schools, across postcode 4072.
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 St Lucia 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 St Lucia
People: 12,220 residents, median age 25, 40.9% born overseas, 32.2% speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken: Mandarin 10.1%, Cantonese 1.7%, Spanish 1.5%, Bengali 1.3%, Vietnamese 1.2%.
Where people were born: China 7.4%, England 3%, India 2.8%, Malaysia 2.6%, New Zealand 1.8%.
Income: median household income $1,761 a week; 2.4 people per home on average.
Where residents work: Education and Training, Professional Scientific and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, Accommodation and Food Services.
Source: ABS Census 2021, CC BY 4.0.
5 campuses in St Lucia. Tap a pin for the provider.
Getting around St Lucia: Nearest station is Guyatt Park ferry terminal (ferry F1, F12), 854 m away. Also West End ferry terminal (ferry F1, F12), 1.0 km away. Buses within 800 m: 402, 411, 412, 414, 427, 428, 432, N413 (closest stop: Carmody Rd at Munro Street, stop 22, 111 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 St Lucia
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 St Lucia, 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.
St Lucia is in the Sherwood - Indooroopilly area
54,285 people across 7+ suburbs. Median rent $410 a week. Languages: Mandarin 6.3%, Cantonese 1.5%, Spanish 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.1%.
Nearby suburbs in the same area: Indooroopilly, Taringa, Sherwood, Corinda, Graceville, Chelmer.
All courses and suburbs in Sherwood - Indooroopilly · Brisbane Council
What this place is like to study in
St Lucia 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 51% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 172 | 49% |
| Postgraduate | 171 | 48% |
| Other | 11 | 3% |
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$15,4886 mo · A$30,976/yr
- A$15,4886 mo · A$30,976/yr
- A$15,4886 mo · A$30,976/yr
- A$15,4886 mo · A$30,976/yr
- A$16,2246 mo · A$32,448/yr
- A$16,4086 mo · A$32,816/yr
- A$17,5606 mo · A$35,120/yr
- A$18,2806 mo · A$36,560/yr
- A$20,4486 mo · A$40,896/yr
- A$20,5606 mo · A$41,120/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$20,9686 mo · A$41,936/yr
- A$21,4806 mo · A$42,960/yr
- A$21,5366 mo · A$43,072/yr
- A$21,5366 mo · A$43,072/yr
- A$21,6006 mo · A$43,200/yr
- A$21,6006 mo · A$43,200/yr
- A$21,6006 mo · A$43,200/yr
- A$22,4806 mo · A$44,960/yr
- A$22,4806 mo · A$44,960/yr
- A$22,6246 mo · A$45,248/yr
- A$23,0566 mo · A$46,112/yr
- A$23,0566 mo · A$46,112/yr
- A$23,0566 mo · A$46,112/yr
- A$23,0566 mo · A$46,112/yr
- A$23,0566 mo · A$46,112/yr
- A$23,0566 mo · A$46,112/yr
- A$24,0406 mo · A$48,080/yr
- A$24,0406 mo · A$48,080/yr
- A$31,9051 yr · A$31,905/yr
- A$33,4211 yr · A$33,421/yr
- A$36,6021 yr · A$36,602/yr
- A$37,2781 yr · A$37,278/yr
- A$41,5361 yr · A$41,536/yr
- A$41,9361 yr · A$41,936/yr
- A$42,9921 yr · A$42,992/yr
- A$43,1941 yr · A$43,194/yr
- A$43,1941 yr · A$43,194/yr
- A$43,1941 yr · A$43,194/yr
- A$43,1941 yr · A$43,194/yr
- A$43,1941 yr · A$43,194/yr
- A$43,1941 yr · A$43,194/yr
- A$44,3641 yr · A$44,364/yr
- A$44,4961 yr · A$44,496/yr
- A$47,1001 yr · A$47,100/yr