Accommodation in Australia
It is no news that we are currently experiencing one of the biggest accommodation crises in recent times. For those who are just arriving in Australia or those who just need to relocate elsewhere, it can be exhausting to be constantly on the lookout for a new home. High prices, low availability, and the speed at which good options disappear can be very discouraging.
That's why Study Destination wants to help you with some tips that can be very useful when looking for your ideal home. Read on and become an expert in finding accommodation in Australia!
No matter what option you consider for your arrival in Australia, it’s most important that you get this process sorted out in the early stages of getting your visa approved. Prices can be cheaper the earlier you sort accommodation out, and you’ll be able to get the best deals on location, room options and even who you room with.
Considering your next adventure in Australia?
Here at Study Destination, we like to ensure that anyone who reaches out to us for assistance, information or for planning knows that we like to be well prepared. So, if Australia is the next destination for you, make sure you have everything planned out in advanced for a seamless transition into a new country.
How can we help?
Whether it be planning what you want to study with your visa, to which city in Australia to land, financial planning, and especially when it comes to accommodation, it always helps to not only be prepared beforehand with alternative options, or to have various options to choose from depending on the length of your stay to where you’ll be located.
While there are a lot of different options available in Australia, from private student accommodation to hostels and even dorm residences at educational institutions, it is most important to consider what kind of accommodation will help you to comfortably adapt to a new country, to feel like home and to keep you happy.
After all, it will be the space that you sleep in at night, and to relax after a long day. If you’re in the process of still deciding where you might want to reside once in the country, see below for some of our top tips that can help you with the right choice. Remember, everyone is different!
Homestay
For those who are on more on the adventurous side when it comes to being in another country, homestay experiences are usually short-term options for accommodation to integrate into the community and to develop better communication skills. While this option can be much cheaper when it comes to having a place to stay, families who are part of these experiences will usually live outside of the city – so you’ll have to travel to campus to study, and you’ll be living with others in a shared space, so you’ll have to keep in mind rules of a household, as you’re a guest there. Educational institutions will usually have a list of homestay families that are approved for their students, so make sure to check only approved websites and experiences if you’re interested in trying this.
Cost - $235 to $325/week
Types - House
Location - Usually out of the CBD
Recommended time - Short stay
Student Apartments
You never stop making new friends in a lifetime, so private student accommodation is a good way for you to live privately in your own space, while being surrounded by other students who may become good friends in the future. This kind of accommodation is usually fully furnished and comes in different options of living individual, or with other roommates, and is usually very closely situated to the institutional you’ll be studying at.
Cost - $250 to $500/week
Types - Apartments
Location - CBD
Recommended time - Medium to long stay
Short Term
If you’ve planned out your study in Australia but have to wait before you’re able to check into your accommodation, or have decided to come earlier than anticipated, then staying at hostels, Airbnbs or the likes can be a great way to temporarily explore the city and country without needing to need to ‘settle down’ before you start your next journey. These accommodation spaces allow for you to pick your own duration of stay with a set cost and can come with more benefits of being fully furnished without needing to consider additional bills.
Cost - $90 to $150/week
Types - Hostels
Location - CBD and surrounding areas
Recommended stay - Short stay
On Campus
Usually situated within the property of the college, university, or institution that you’ll be at studying at, this kind of accommodation is both short term and long term and is probably one of the cheaper options if you want to live by yourself but still stay within a budget. Living and sleeping areas are usually private for everyone, but spaces like the bathroom, kitchen and common spaces are, or can be shared with others on the same floor.
Cost - $110 to $280/week
Types - Apartment or bedroom only
Location - At the university
Recommended stay - Medium stay
Private Rentals
These spaces are usually not affiliated with the institutions, so you’ll have to do your research prior to coming to Australia, and this kind of accommodation is for those who want freedom of location, choice, and have a flexible budget. You’ll be able to rent with friends, family, or even by yourself – but you’ll have to go through a private real estate agent, or even people you know to get paperwork done for your accommodation. You can treat this as the closest way of ‘living independently’ in Australia, as you’ll be able to manage your own finances. Note that you’ll need to pay a ‘bond’ deposit on top of you rent, as a way to ‘confirm’ your stay and to make sure you look after the accommodation space.
Cost - $185 to $440/week
Types - Apartment or house
Location - Everywhere
Recommended stay - Long stay
Where to look for accommodation in Australia:
Are you having difficulties finding accommodation at the moment? If you’ve decided where and how you stay during your time in Australia, then the next step is to do your research to find out where the best deals and offers can be for international travellers and students.
It’s always best to make sure you pick an agent, agency or even online accommodation booking website that’s widely used around the country, to protect yourself and give you the best offers.
Finding a place to live is often hard work. But you can get very lucky if you search in the right places. Below are some of the best sites to find accommodation in Australia:
We’ve compiled some of the best offers and options below:
Real Estate (realestate.com.au)
It is the most popular website in Australia for real estate transactions. Buying, selling, renting or sharing, all information is available here. Best for finding your private accommodation. If you are looking for a long term rental this platform is highly recommended. The prices are far more competitive when you rent on a lease than if you rent for short periods of time.
"Domain" is the second biggest website for real estate in Australia. There is not much of difference between this website and realestate.com.au when it comes to the searching accommodation.
Facebook Groups
While this is a social platform, different groups and ‘marketplace’ offers can allow you to find short and long-term accommodation while in Australia. The process will usually involve you reaching out to the owner of the place you’d like to stay at, to confirm details, length of stay and payment. Note that Facebook groups usually have a short turn-around rate as people are looking for immediate housemates or for someone to take over their accommodation, so you’ll need to either plan ahead, or be ready to communicate right away. Prices are usually on the cheaper side.
They are a great place to browse. There are many groups from different communities (expats, native country, professions and more) or by location (Byron Bay locals, Community Boards). You just have to search for the groups that best suit your requirements, then share a post or browse through the published messages, you will see many posts regarding housing and accommodation. You can join our Facebook groups too!
Flatmates
Australia's No. 1 share accommodation website to find out the share-houses with the flatmates. Suitable for sharing house accommodation. This one is very popular and can be a gold mine! This platform is purely designed for sharing and finding rentals.
Gumtree
Is one of Australia's most popular listings platforms. You can filter by Real Estate category and by your location to see the available offers. There you will find all the information you need! Many people advertise their spare rooms or properties on gumtree. A great place to look! As one of the most popular classified websites in Australia, also offers various accommodation options. Find any type like independent, shared, home-stay or hostels.
YHA Hostels, AirBnb or Booking.com
YHA Hostels: a great backpacking facility that offers unbeatable rates with a good service. Great for a short-term stay.
AirBnb is a popular choice for holidays and short breaks, but also useful if you are looking for something a bit longer. Prices may be higher but you can be sure that the quality of the accommodation will be as advertised.
If you are looking for a hostel or a short stay, Booking is a good option. You will have more choices and you will be able to book for short periods of time with no problems. On the above-mentioned sites, bookings tend to be for longer terms.
Student Accommodation
Look at student accommodations in your city if you're a student in Australia. Universities have their own accommodations and could be helpful to you. This is a great option if you are looking for cheap accommodation in Australia for students.
Talk to people!
Every time you meet someone ask them where they are staying and tell them you are looking for a place to stay too. Many times they are looking for a roommate or someone they know is leaving their spot.
Other Key Tips for Finding Accommodation
When looking for a place to live, be patient and take your time. All your effort will pay off when you find the perfect place for you.
Do not leave it for last minute. Look early in advance and book a few weeks ahead of time. Holiday times are extremely expensive also, especially in touristic locations such as Byron Bay.
We also recommend trying to search and contact advertisers very early in the morning, as demand is extremely intense at this time you will be one of the first to contact them.
You will probably be asked to pay a two-week bond or even more in advance in order to finalise the rental agreement. Try to have this money available to speed up the transaction.
Why accommodation crisis is as bad as it is?
Among the drivers of this crisis are the changing lifestyle of work from home, and the shrinking size of Australian households as more and more people seek their own space. Shared housing, popular in recent times, also ceased to be an option for many after the covid burst.
Student visa and Working Holiday visa holders have not even reached 50% of the number they used to be in pre-covid times. It is likely that further numbers will continue to come into the country, so the crisis may get even worse.
It is unknown what will happen in the rental market in the future, but it will be critical for millions of Australian renters and temporary visa holders in need of rental accommodation.
It may be advisable to relocate from cities to rural and decentralised locations in order to have more housing options. Also, if you are planning to travel, it may be wise to make your trips now before people continue to arrive and it becomes increasingly difficult.
Accommodation types in Australia
- Hostels with shared or private rooms and facilities.
- Hotels
- Motels and Motor Inns
- Pub: many Australian pubs provide their own accommodation.
- Bed and breakfast, usually for short term stays.
- Campings
- Caravan Parks: for the ones who live in a van, car or camper trailer.
- Resorts: they usually provide other facilities apart from the accommodation, such as pool, gym, sauna, tennis courts and more.
- Apartments and Houses
- Room in a share house
- Granny Flats: a small flat usually made next to the main house.
If you are looking to study in Australia, Study Destination can help you make your dreams come true! Contact us today to discuss your plans and we will be happy to assist you.
