Australia is not a cheap country to visit. You can definitely travel on a budget but you will need to do some research in order to develop a realistic budget for yourself. In this post I will tell you what prices to expect for various aspects of life depending on how you are traveling, how long you are staying, and what activities you might be doing.
My Top Tips
Tip #1: Anticipate spending more than your budget. Give yourself wiggle room with whatever amount you calculate. There will always be some extra thing, or fee, or night out that throws you for a loop. Don’t let it throw you for a loop and have that wiggle room available!
Tip #2: Learn how to cook. I know cooking for yourself isn’t your first thought when on vacation, but if you are staying in Australia longer term, you will definitely save a lottt of money by buying groceries and cooking at your hostel rather than eating out every single day.
Tip #3: Work if you are able. I lived in Australia for one year and worked whenever the money was a bit low, so that is always an option if your visa allows you to work and you are stressed about your money situation. The job market can be a bit hit or miss depending on the season in different cities, but you can almost always find something in the larger cities.
Tip #4: Research and plan for larger tours. I am a huge supporter of spontaneity and not planning too much of a trip, especially if it’s longterm. However, many of the most popular tours can be quite expensive and sell out far in advance. So, although you don’t need to plan for everything, find your must-do tours and make sure to book them at least a month ahead of time.
Every Day Expenses
Here are the average prices of different aspects of life in Australia. This will vary if you are looking for a more luxurious vacation, but this is a budget backpacking site so I will be sharing what to expect as a budget traveler!
ACCOMMODATION
Prices in the cities are going to be much higher than rural areas. Also, prices around the holidays (Christmas and New Years) skyrocket, even for hostel dorms. Accommodation was probably my largest unexpected money suck in Australia.
- Hostels – hostels cost anywhere from $30 AUD to $60 AUD a night. Yes, those are DORM prices. Many places offer longterm stay prices that are less than their regular price, but you will need to stay at least 2-3 weeks, sometimes more, depending on the hostel’s policy.
- Sharehouses/Rent with Roommates – This depends on the city, but on the cheaper end you can expect to find a $300 weekly rent per person.
- Air BnB – This is the pricier option. You can anticipate spending $100-$300 AUD per night.
- Campsites/Holiday Parks – There are lots of free parking/camping sites if you are traveling by van or car, but sometimes you will find yourself in need of paying for a site or holiday park for a night. These can vary from $15-$70 AUD so make sure to look into your overnight parking options.
TOURS
My second major cost were the tours and activities I did. Look into the various things you want to do and how much they will cost! Tours can be pretty pricy in Australia as they are in high demand all year round. I recommend saving $100-200 AUD for each tour you want to do on top of any major experiences like scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef or camping on Fraser Island. Below are some major experiences to consider!
- Fraser Island 3-Day 2-Nights: This is a must-do along the Australian East Coast and the full three day experience usually costs about $600 AUD. It is definitely worth the hefty price though! Learn more about Fraser Island and how to book it HERE!
- Whitsundays 2-Day 1-Night: The Whitsundays are stunning islands along the East Coast of Australia and you can expect this experience to be about $600 AUD. Check out multi-day options HERE!
- Snorkel/Scuba the Great Barrier Reef: This is many people’s bucket list activity in Australia and you can easily get a tour for around $150-$500 AUD depending on the length of the tour. Find tour options HERE!
- Uluru Kata-Tjuta 2-Day 1-Night: Uluru is the true red center of Australia and I recommend experiencing it over the course of two or more days. These tours can be extremely expensive but average about $600 AUD. Learn more about Uluru HERE!
- Skydiving: Skydiving anywhere in Australia will be about $500-$600 AUD!
- Other Smaller Tour Options: Ningaloo Reef, Rottnest Island, various National Parks, Moreton Island, Cairns waterfalls. These are all smaller tours or experiences you can expect to be about $100-$150 AUD.
Get a feeling for which activities you might be interested in with this Australia East Coast Itinerary!
This can seem overwhelming, but you can spread out all the tours if you are staying longterm and save money from any jobs you work. The East Coast has the most tour options available along the route and I would recommend having at least $2,000 AUD set aside for all tours you decide to do. If you are traveling to more spots other than the East Coast, then another $1,000 would be good.
TRANSPORTATION
There are a couple different options for getting around Australia and it really depends on the amount of money you are willing to spend on your transportation. I mainly took buses and trains to get between destinations, but cars, vans, and flying are also available (although more expensive) options.
- Airplane: Australia is huge and if you don’t have a lot of time to spend bussing or driving, then flying is your best bet. You can find cheap flights on Skyscanner for as little as $80, although busier seasons see higher prices.
- Bus: This is the cheapest option and easiest for getting along the East Coast. Individual prices depend on the length of your bus trip but both Premier and Greyhound companies offer longterm passes.
Full East Coast Deal: 7, 15, or 30 day passes to travel any direction between Melbourne and Cairns
$265-$415 AUD
Full East Coast Deal: 1, 3, or 6 month passes for one-way travel between Sydney and Cairns (your direction of travel is determined by your first booking)
$245-$384 AUD
- Car/Van: Having your own set of wheels gives you so much more freedom and you will get to see much more of Australia. However, purchasing or renting a vehicle can come with some major costs. This includes initial purchase, gas, and any mechanic work you end up needing done.
Purchase: The best way to find cheap vans/cars for sale is on Facebook Marketplace. You can find quality vehicles for $12,000+ AUD. Just make sure you check out the car and consider mileage, mechanics, and overall quality before making any purchases.
Rent: There are a ton of van rental companies in Australia, so be sure to research which is best for you. A good budget company I recommend since they have locations all over Aus is Jucy Rentals.
Relocation: This is the cheapest option as you are doing a service for van companies by bringing their van from one location to another. A great site for finding these opportunities is iMoova.
FOOD
Eating out in Australia is not cheap. You can expect your average meal to be about $25 AUD, which adds up quickly if you eat out for every meal of the day. I usually spent about $60-$70 AUD per week on groceries instead of eating out. I did this by making sure to buy the cheapest option of everything I needed, so if you are more particular it could be a bit more expensive.
GOODS/MISCELLANEOUS
Finally, set aside some money for random odds and ends you come across during your travels. It doesn’t need to be much, but if you run out of deodorant or end up needing to go to the doctor for a prescription, it is good to have some extra cash available. I recommend having about $500 AUD saved for miscellaneous needs.
Final Price Breakdown
This was a lot of information and you might still feel pretty lost as to what your budget should look like. So, to finish off my guide to an Australian budget, here is my basic blueprint for calculating your expenses!
| Short Term (1-3 weeks) | Long Term (1 Year) | Road Trip | |
| Accommodation | $1,000 AUD | $9,000 AUD | $600 AUD |
| Tours | $2,000 AUD | $4,000 – $5,000 AUD | $1,500 AUD |
| Transportation | $300 – $500 AUD | $700 AUD | Anywhere from $2,000 – $20,000+ |
| Food | $1,000 AUD | $2,500 AUD | $1,000 AUD |
| Miscellaneous | $250 AUD | $500 AUD | $500 AUD |
| TOTAL | $4,550 – $4,750 AUD | $16,700 – $17,700 AUD | $5,600 – $23,600+ AUD |
As you can see, traveling Australia is not a cheap escapade. I am being a bit generous as well as it can easily be more expensive if you are staying in hotels rather than hostels, partying a lot, or just have bad luck. There are so many different options to choose from when heading down under, so be sure to do some research and think about what works best for you and your budget. Staying longterm means you can also chill and work back some of the money you spend. Road tripping is often crazy expensive, but so so rewarding. No matter what you decide on, it will be the experience of a lifetime!
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