Cost of Living in Melbourne

International students really killed this page. It's not about you guys!!! #To guy with wife and 3 children that wants to live in Melbourne on $30 000 a year - Does your wife and kids eat and drink? Are they resistant to Heat and Cold? Can they run as quickly as train? Etc. Etc. Etc. To other one- there is no difference in cost of living between Ringwood and Croydon.

Expensive city for a family

Family of 4 (young children) needs $110k gross household income minimum to survive. Not much left after tax.

Where do you get your prices from,the moon? Maybe you're a moon student instead of an international student huh? The prices given here by NUMBEO are only off by a small percentage higher.I live in Melbourne.Which Galaxy system do you live in dufus?

Everything is very expensive in Melbourne and getting higher all the time.It amazes me how to anyone would even want to live in a dump like Australia.Two hours at the airport waiting for my next flight was enough for me just passing through.

Hi Guys,
Can anyone let me know what child care costs would be like for non residents on a working visa ?
Many thanks,

Hello,
I am a physician and suppose to begin a PhD program in he university of Melbourne,if I got a scholarship I would receive 30.000 Aust Dollars per year, is it enough for a me,my wife and 3 kids?

thanks in advance

Hi, I am an International future student in Deakin University. I have following questions:
1. Is taking admission in November intake not a good ida? Does the PR becomes difficult for November intakers as I have heard people saying that the course is shorter for November students than July.

2. Which area is best to look for accommodation near Deakin University Burwood Campus and how much does it cost?

3. Are studio apartments cheaper or expensive near Burwood campus?

4. Is it a good idea to look for accommodation 20km away from university as people say there are not part time jobs near to Burwood?

Hi!
I am from Chile and i wonder, how is the IT work in Australia? i am working at technical support and i am thinking in moving to live and work in Australia.

Hello. I am moving to Melbourne this year to study digital design. I am planning to get some part-time or freelance jobs related to my major. Is it hard to find design jobs at local businesses for an international student? (I have ~2 years experience in graphic designing).
Thanks a lot!

Hello. I would like to ask you a question in relation to the above's statistics model chart. Where is the percentage of 0.04?
Thank You.

i live in a 3 bed room house in melbourne rent is just 1350$ excluding any other expenses .around 250 p/m utilities.petrol 1.35 p/l a couple earning 5k p/m can live here alright

@John
Hi there!
As a Melbournian myself I think that it really depends on how often you get that money, if its yearly probably not, monthly yes and daily for sure! But it also depends on where you live too, some places tend to cost more and leisure is often expensive, but if I were to recommend a place to eat I would say FODDIES it's healthy, good meals and for an amazingly cheap price.
Good Luck John!

I'm a single 26 years old civil engr. (structural engr.) having 3.5years experience working in a precast company as a structural engr., I'm planning to migrate to Sydney within a year time,.. just asking about how easy I can get a job there in any of the reputed pre-cast companies! and what about salaries! are they good to cover my living expenses over there! just need your help in giving me a clear picture on the life expenses and other related things, etc.,..

Thanking you in advance.

Awaiting your reply/feedback please.

Hi there,
We are planning to move to Melbourne, Australia in PR status this coming Sept 2017 with my husband and 5 year old son without jobs prepared. I am wondering about the cost of living, schooling and how long will it take getting a job. We are both Mechanical Engineer in profession. Thank you..

hey #edel - flatmates.com.au and gumtree.com.au would be good places to start looking. Rentals vary depending on the location/ suburb.

Good luck!

Hi to
#Mario on Nov 16, 2016 :
I am from West Africa and i will be relocating with my wife and two kids to Sydney Australia,

A: You've come to the Melbourne page Mario..

A: I wish to further my education to enable get a good paying job,

Don't we all !!

even though i got no school admission yet, my wife will definitely want to get a job,

A: Yes everyone wants a job if they want money !!

i have no idea of cost of accommodation and cost of living.

A: Well, you've come to the right place..

I seek an advise on how to go about this whole thing.. Thanks.

A: Just ask specific questions here (or on the Sydney page) and let your fingers do the walking
and type in google.com and forage about in the search engine for answers.. use the Aust gov sites as well..

Just heard a great Christmas song
"Santa Baby" by Disco Pirates
it's a very catchy song and great remix

I'll have a shot at answering the questions from the post below..

1. I am 23years old want to move to Footscray area
Can i have a job as a waitress there?

A: I can't see why not.. good chance working in a casual fast food or
cheap restaurant in the area..

2. What is the requirements?

A: Preparedness to work for cash: I imagine a lot of these small independent outfits will prefer to pay cash (under the counter as so to speak..) so you might make $15~$20 an hour

3. Can i work there for 6 months?

A: If you're coming here on a tourist visa then there are probably working restrictions..
Check the Aus. Gov tourist and visa site for more info..

4. How much it cost for room in Footscray?

A: Probably $150 - $220 a week thereabouts

Hi khushal,

being a coder / software developer can be an exciting and very (financially) rewarding career and I think so often it's an entrepreneurial creative and business activity - which means it may be challenging to land a job in the field .. often it requires the person to create their own job..

But having said that.. there are still companies that need people who can write code and come up with creative solutions..

Melbourne has thousands and thousands of apartments .. there is an apartment construction boom going on so you shouldn't have any problems finding a place to rent..

(apartments are a lot cheaper than houses..)

You may have to get a job in a unrelated field to begin with.. remember to be flexible and open to opportunities..

Goo Luck..

Hi there, I'll try and answer the following questions..

My bills (single person in flat in south east melbourne)

electricity (every 3 months) $140 - $180
gas (every 2 months) $65 - $75
water (every 3 months) $160 - $400 depending if you have a leaky tap

Main electricity energy guzzlers

Air Conditioners and Heaters
Electric hot water systems
Refrigerators
Electric Cookers
Lighting

Main expense is from air cons and heaters

Use a fan instead of air con and you will save a lot

Don't leave the lights on when you're not in the room

limit your use of electric heaters and you will save a lot

About refrigerators, I've read it's not good to turn the power off/on regularly because
it can cause the compressor to pack up ...

Electricity, gas and water all have a daily connection charge of something like $1.10 - $1.30 each per day not including any usage .. so often a lot of the bill is just the connection charge..

So even if you use hardly anything you will still find your bill will be for a reasonably high(ish) amount because of the connection fees... (yes it's a ripoff but they all do it unfortunately)

THE BEST WAY TO SAVE A TON OF MONEY

Share your room or flat with a friend and instantly you've halved your rent.. (save more if you have 2 or 3 friends living with you..)

Rent is the biggest bill you will have .. so sharing can save you a fortune..
also with sharing you'll also save huge amounts on the electricity, gas and water charges..

How is la trobe university and does its graduates gets jobs easily ?

Here are my experiences.. (How to hack your living expenses and save money..)
I have found you can live quite cheaply but it often means you give away certain spending money activities..

If you take your own made-at-home lunch to work with you and don't smoke, don't spend tons of money at cafes and fast food restaurants then you will easily saves thousands in a year.

I work part-time in a shop and I really get to see how people waste so much money.. especially on cigarettes and soft drinks, energy drinks and other rubbish.

I take a sandwich into work and 2 chocolate digestive biscuits (from Aldi, quite delicious) and drink instant coffee that's provided where I work. Why spend $10 a day on lunch when you can spend next to nothing.. That's a saving of over $200 a month.. plus it's just as enjoyable.. and at least you know what's gone into your sandwich..

Don't buy a car unless you need it for your work... cars eat up so much money because you have annual registration, insurance, repairs/maintenance and running costs..
Just use a Myki card on public transport.. no parking or speeding fines, no petrol costs, no breaking down on the freeway.. no hassles..

My mobile phone plan was $300 for 360 days, unlimited calls in Australia, txt/sms and 2 GB data per month.. now there are even better plans with more data allowance available.

Buy your food and supplies from the top value supermarkets and grocery stores and cook for yourself..

To some questions..
Q. How long does it take to get a job?
A: You can land a job in one or two business days if you're prepared to do almost anything..
If you're fussy and want a job in a particular white color profession then it may take a weeks or months..

Q: How much is day care?
A: It's expensive (better google it..)

Q: Rent in a safe cheap suburb?
A: 1 bedroom flat $220 to $270 per week close to public transport in nice south east suburb of Melb.
(2 bed flat add extra $100 per week)

Q: Electricity/Gas/Water etc..
A: Probably all up around $120 - $180 per month depending on how much you use..

Things are bad at this very moment in Australia.
Getting a viable job is HARD.
Paying rent costs too much.
Bills, groceries and going out are REALLY high.
Am quite worried about how things will roll out in Australia.

People saying things are easy in Australia are either lying or having a clue. Or unless they earn more than $100k yearly.

Elias average pay $4800 to 5200 per month for just a single adult leaves them struggling because of rent etc. Rent is so high, look at Domain.com for rents, RTA should give you train etc prices, search for your job level salaries, do not burn your bridges. I read $75 K as average pay before tax recently. Check the tax rates from the ATO.

From what I read, my hunch is that Melbourne could be a nice option for a couple of retirees from Univ. like us. We would love to cotinue to work if possible in our fields: Psychology/psychotherapy/hypnotherapy/Neuropsychology (licensed Clinical Psychologist in Portugal), Sociology, Criminology and Portuguese speaking literature/culture/history (of Portugal Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, etc). These are my teaching & professional fields of interest; my wifes main fileds (PhD in Mathematics Education): Mathematics teacher training,Research Methodologies (Educational Sciences and Criminology) and the like. We are Portuguese citizens, but lived, studied and taught in the US for about 10 years.
Any clue or help where to go to find suitable jobs in Melbourne? Thanks.

Hello people,

My wife and our 2 kids, 4 years and 11 years old, are planning to move back to Melbourne from Greece. We have been away for many years so I'd like some feedback from someone in a 4 member family living an average style of life. I'd like to know about the average cost of living around Oakleigh for a 4 member family. Say includung electricity, gas, water, internet and average food supplies. Since the average pay is about 3800 to 4200 per month (if I am correct) how much would the average cost of living be?

Thank you in advance, all info is welcome

Hi Sampath,

There are lot's of jobs where you can make $15 - $25 per hour cash by working in cafes, restaurants,
kitchens, cleaning offices, driving taxis and urber, at the car wash, home removalist, working on building sites, gardening, cooking, pizza and food delivery, helping in a shop, computer IT support.. the list goes on...

Remember the secret to living really cheap is to have roommates and follow some of the ideas listed in previous postings here.

Make sure you fit in enough time to study when you're working all these jobs...

Don't Gamble (because all your money will go..)
Don't Smoke (because it's around $23 a pack of cigs)
Don't drive a car (unless it's for your work... having a car and all it's costs works out over $200 a week...)

Melbourne is an expensive city if you choose to live alone and have to pay for everything yourself..

Are you adaptable and flexible and not get upset over the slightest thing..

1. co-dwell with 2 or 3 others
2. rent a place walking distance to a railway station
3. don't have a landline - just use mobile and data from your mobile phone
4. don't get a car - use public transport
5. don't buy lunches and coffees ... take your lunch with you to work and drink instant coffee
6. don't smoke (very very expensive habit)
7. don't gamble (it's a mugs game)
8. learn how to cook
9. avoid pubs, clubs,bars because often trouble happens in and around these places
10. have fun and adventure and get a job

The grass is always greener on the other side. If you live anywhere in the world where it is regarded you live in one of the top 10% locations in the world (irrespective of your definition on what 'top' is), you should/could be happy where you live. But it is only normal in human nature to compare oneself with those that are better off and people always want to be in the top 1%. If you happen to live in Australia, you probably belong in the top 5% (if not 1%) in the world with respect to freedom, welfare, safety, education, etc. etc.

Did you know that Australia is more open than the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand for giving it's citizens the opportunity to participate in having their own licensed private radio transmitting stations on special segments of the AM, FM and Shortwave bands.

An Individual and/or a company is eligible to apply for a license from ACMA to own and operate their own radio station transmitting "narrowcast" program content on the edges of the standard broadcast band and off-band spectrum segments.

87.6, 87.8, 88.0 mHz VHF FM 1 watt transmitter power
5055, 5045, 3210, 2368.5, 2355 kHz Shortwave (tropic bands) AM (1000 watts)
70, 77, 151, 152, 173 mHz (bands) VHF (Narrowband) FM (50 watts)
1611, 1620, 1629, 1638, 1647, 1656, 1665, 1674, 1683, 1692, 1701 kHz MF/Mediumwave AM (400 watts)

Learn more by copying and pasting the following link into your browser
http://members.boardhost.com/australiaradio/

Co-channel and adjacent channel separation distances apply in the allocation of radio licenses.
Rules apply to the type of on-air content that is permissible with these license categories.

These are not Commercial Radio Broadcasting Licenses, these are not Community Radio Broadcasting licenses. The licenses above are for narrowcasting - usually this means for non mainstream content such as foreign language and cultural content, religious content and content that is under represented under mainstream radio broadcasting outlets.

For example, on the MF/MW AM band 1611 - 1701 kHz the majority (not all) are either foreign language stations (Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Greek, Macedonian, Filipino, Spanish, etc..) or religious.

There are a few pop and dance music stations operating..

So for people with an interest in radio broadcasting then Australia may be right up your alley.

Australia is free and open but also with a lot of regulation and things you can do and things you can't do..

Free:

Being gay and having a same sex partner is legal in Australia.

Having the right to own and run your own business is encouraged and supported in Australia.

Being able to access the Internet, buy and sell over the Internet and use media, social and economic sites are all legal in Aust.

Being able to enjoy adult entertainment is legal in Australia.

Driving cars (with a driving license) , riding motorbikes (with a motorcycle license), traveling on trains, buses, trams and in Taxi's is all ok

Going on holidays and enjoying yourself is legal and ok

Saving money, investing in stocks, property, financial vehicles is all available and ok to participate in.

Renting or buying a house/flat/apartment or any other dwelling is open and available.

Going out to cafes, restaurants, clubs, bars, food courts, shopping centers, public gardens/parks, swimming pools, golf courses, cricket pitches, soccer and footy fields, boating, bike riding, mountain hiking, beeches, discotheques, it's all available to you to enjoy..

Having friends over and having fun.. being social or being a recluse you are free to choose..

Is Australia an expensive country to live in?

It can be .. but there are ways to live cheaply without spending much money..

See some of the earlier posts on how to cut costs and live life for a small amount of money and still enjoy yourself..

The basics for cheap and fun living:

1. share a house/flat with others and split the rent and bills ...
2. eat in and take a sandwich or lunch-pack to work
3. drink instant coffee or buy $1 cappuccino from seven eleven
4. eat free meals at the Hare Krishna temple
5. eat near free meals at Lentil As Anything
6. eat very cheap meals at Om
7. use public transport and don't buy a car unless you need a car for your employment
8. Travel on trains and arrive at your destination before 7.15 am Monday to Friday
and it's free transport. (Trains only..)
9. Try to limit or avoid using heaters and air conditioners because these use up a lot of electricity and push up your utility bills..
10. Find ways to enjoy free entertainment and recreation time .. picnics, back-pack portable adventures.. take a thermos and lunch-pack with you when urban exploring..
11. If you are going to be using public transport every day then save a fortune and buy a MYKI yearly ticket.. (or monthly or 6-monthly etc..)
12. Use public libraries as your virtual office and Internet hub.

Having fun and adventure need not cost you anything other than a train ticket and some food supplies in your back-pack..

If you are wealthy then you can enjoy high-end fun and entertainment and lifestyle choices..
If you're broke or on a small budget you can still have fun and enjoy life.. be creative .. be adventurous..

hi

i am from India wants to move to aus. can any one explain about job opportunities in warehousing operation manager

Sam I can't provide the answers you're needing - however I would recommend you use google and search around Australia government websites for the information you need.

Working Visa/right of abode..
If may be easier to go through a migration agent in your home country who can work their way through all the paperwork etc..

Good luck and let us know how you go...

If you want any information about rent, lifestyle, transport and anything else please feel free to post here..

CoCo

Dear friends,

Melbourne is a great city to live and work in but it can also be a dangerous place and the city itself does have some unfortunate elements..

Very visible and rough looking homeless people camping in front of offices/shops and doorways in the main streets of the city ..

Unprovoked violence, robberies and unpleasantness is a lot more common now and you have to be careful and know what to lookout for and to avoid potentially risky situations and locations.

Public transport can be incredibly packed-out and crushing... getting the morning train into the city can be a nightmare since population explosion particularly in the south east of Melbourne.

Having said that, don't be put off from making Melbourne your home, just be careful and aware of the risks and dangers and make it your habit to avoid such things.

If you have any questions please post them and I will try and answer any enquiry..

OK I read some of the latest comments and it's time for a little update on prices and costs of living in Melbourne Australia.

HOUSING

It can be very expensive to buy and own property.. Housing has experienced amazing price inflation over the past 10 years.. What was $300,000 is now $700,000 and what was a one million dollar property is probably closer to 3 million.

Buying residential housing (houses on land) is very expensive now..

Most personal wealth is now created simply through the price inflation of housing ..

Wages haven't changed much, there's virtually no manufacturing that's done in Australia and Australia isn't a world winner when it comes to popular electronics and communications.. There's no Apple type company in Australia, no local iTunes of any merit and very few hit movies are made here..

Either you work in a cushy corporate or government job or you struggle away as a small business owner like with a cafe, restaurant, news agency, tattslotto shop, clothes shop, or you go get a job for a small business operator.. perhaps drive taxis, trucks, vans..

BUILDING TRADE
Contractors, brickies, plumbers, electricians, roof tilers, gardeners, anything related to building and renovating houses is in demand..

RENT OR BUY A HOME - If you're wealthy then buy yourself a mansion.. If you're on a budget then it's probably a lot cheaper to rent... Rent what you need and that's in your budget.. Don't rent a big house when a small flat would do and be much cheaper on your pocket.

Apartments (Flats/Units) are cheaper than houses .. by a large degree .. mostly because you're not buying your own land...

One bedroom 60s/70s flat close to public transport and not too far from the city .. within 10 to 20 km of the city, $240k to $320k

A fancy recently built one bedroom apartment with same attributes would be an extra $100K to $150K on top of that price estimate.

CAN YOU LIVE CHEAPLY

Of course you can but you can't if you're not capable of co-habituating with others and pooling your rent..

My neighbors have 3 people in a one bedroom flat.. the rent is $250 per week which is $83 each, put four in and it's only $62.50 per person.

If you are inflexible or stubborn and want everything your own way then expect to pay for it and stop whinging about it..

Some people need a reality check and to stop playing the victim...

If you keep comparing yourself to wealthy property owners who have big houses and fancy cars then you'll feel a bit let down with your situation .. so stop worrying about how the rich live and just get on with your life and enjoy every day.. remember.. even the rich get sick and die...

Most of the information here is hilariously inaccurate eg someone suggesting good apartments are available from $240K. Any such apartment would be in a slum area so far from the city you might as well live in Africa! For a half decent small apartment in a fairly safe area you will need at least double that amount and in a good area, at least triple.

Hi everyone, Zia asked some questions...

1- my certificate will be acceptable for them ?
Requires google search

1- is there any chance for me to get any civil engineering job over there and if i could, how much salary ?
Yes and No, you may have to work in an unrelated field for a while.
Be flexible and prepared to do something different because you can't always land the job of your dreams - could be a couple of years before you find a placement in the CE area.

Income $60K - $140K depending of it's a small private company, a Government department or large company.

2- i m very much interested to do my Master's degree as well, can i find any sponsorship company over there??
Requires google search..

Other visitors to this site may be able to provide more info..

I notice that many residential rents for flats/units/apartments are coming down and I guess it's because the supply of flats/units has risen enormously over the past couple of years especially ..

The older flats built in the 60s and 70s are where the best value for money will be and quite often in fantastic locations right near train stations and bus stops..

You have to be able to put up with neighbor noise when living in a flat.. so it's best to be adaptable to these environments..

The allowance of 20 hours per week should be fairly straight froward to achieve.. Accountants and businesses require bookkeepers and there's a strong demand for such work.. particularly preparing the bookkeeping and quarterly (or Monthly) GST (Tax) returns for small businesses.

Working in shops and cafes/restaurants .. a lot of this work is off the books because many small businesses can't afford to pay the award wages and penalty rates and all that nonsense.. about the average pay for off the books work is $15 per hour cash, sometimes a bit less and sometimes a bit more... I am not advocating tax avoidance but just stating things as they are..

For those of you who don't mind getting your hands dirty or doing work that many choose not to do, there are plenty of jobs in the following areas..

Cleaning - offices, commercial premises
you will require your own car as this is typically sub-contractor type work.. but there's plenty of it around..

Dish Washing and Kitchen Hand - loads of small cafes and restaurants need staff to do this ..

Taxi, Courier, Truck, Van - driving and delivery work

House Removalist - you will need a truck and strong arms and usually someone to help you.. plenty of work..

working in shops, news agencies, cafes, restaurants, health clinics, - lot's of casual work..

How much money do you need to be able to live in Melbourne?

Really you don't need lot's of money in order to live and enjoy life in Melbourne, of course it's all relative and how high or how low a lifestyle you're prepared to take on.

OK, most people with plenty of money don't have to concern themselves with this question as they'll get by just fine regardless of whether a loaf of bread costs $1 or $6 and by the way, a loaf of bread can be bought from $0.89 to $7.00 so once again.. you can choose the type of bread that fit's your taste and/or budget. Sliced white bread (supermarket home brand / plain label) is the cheapest.

Best value for me is the Light Rye bread @ $2.59 from the very popular German supermarket chain that has taken hold in Australia.

BIG TICKET ITEMS

RENT
TRANSPORT
FOOD

Melbourne is quickly turning into an Apartment (Flats/Units) City and everywhere you go there is loads of developments of apartments (often called Flats or Units) being built and best value for rent is Apartments because of the high stock numbers, followed by houses.

ONE BEDROOM FLATS

This is generally the cheapest option for housing and the prices are around
$230 to $300 per week in good suburbs and close to public transport.

2 bedroom flats are around $280 - $360 per week

If you move into a fancy newly built apartment then the rents will be somewhat higher..

One bedroom newly constructed fancy apartment $300 to $400 per week in good area
Two bedroom newly constructed fancy apartment $400 to $550 per week in good area

If you are prepared to move further out you can rent houses and apartments at considerably less but you will have longer commutes and possibly a higher risk of house robberies, car thieves and anti social activity..

Research on the internet about good suburbs / locations that are close to public transport
and have a low crime rate.

TRANSPORT

CARS, VANS, UTES, MOTORBIKES...

You can pick up secondhand cars very cheaply .. $500 - $3000 depending on the make and model and year of manufacture.

There's a number of websites where you can find cars for sale as well as dodgy car yards..

Same goes for Vans and Utes..

Motorbikes are for some crazy reason (import duties) kind of expensive compared to how much they used to cost when I used to buz around on them.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

$3.76 2 hour, Zones 1 & 2
$7.52 all day, Zones 1 & 2

$37.60 7 day, Zones 1 & 2

Weekend & Public Holiday Daily Cap $6.00

(Full Fare)

Concession Fares are half the prices above.

FOOD.

First rule of thumb is to shop around and get a feel for the prices..

Supermarkets can be a bit over priced for fresh fruit and vegetables.. so look for the daily specials..

EATING OUT:

Chinese Food, Indian / Sri Lankan Food, Middle East Food, FAST FOOD..

Typical Chinese, Indian type lunch specials are around $8 to $12

Fast Food meal deals

One example:
Veggie Burger, no cheese, small fries and small drink $8.70

So for a fast food meal budget for around $9 to $12 depending on the meal and size.

COFFEE in street cafes

$3.50 to $4.00 in most places
Once again look around..

In the city go for a walk along Centre Pl (between Flinders Lane and Collins St)
and you can find some great places for coffee and food.

Hi, I am looking for opportunities in my company (KPMG) in Melbourne. I saw in th glassdoor.com that the average salary for a professional in my category is between 60.000 - 70.000 a year. Is this money enough for a couple to live in Melbourne, considering that we won't share the apartment with anyone?

For those of you arriving soon in Melbourne, please keep in mind that cost of living here and generally in Australia is very high. Many people come in thinking they will suddenly become rich but reality is very different. Income for MOST jobs is not very high, when you calculate tax and other fees and expenses you're not left with much.

Housing is the biggest issue here, with rent and housing prices going up significantly in the last few years.

Before coming in please make sure that the income you are getting from your new job is enough for you and your family. Numbeo is a good guide for cost of living but some things are under-estimated.

Notes to keep in mind
Melbourne Bus and Train as roads systems are superb compared with most large cities in area. East west is 100km wide and north south even more. Using trains, buses or roads in Sydney is a nightmare in comparison.

Students in CBD+inner city 4km : allow 250-300/week to cover rent and utilities if share, allow another 50 to 70 if you wish to rent alone. Yes rent is much cheaper in the burbs BUT consider extra time taken for public transport. Obviously inner city is bit cheaper and a lot easier environment to study given less noise and distraction.
Students in burbs : allow 180 to 230/week. Just stay near bus or train lines for easy access to shopping, buying food, taking break from study etc.
Some places are RIDICULOUSLY cheap rent by comparison but generally located in an area full of welfare dependents. Some Indian students got mugged..if you flash iphone or dress in levis and nikes...you are saying "PLEASE MUG ME !"
Otherwise, Melbourne is extremely safe. Unless you live or hangout in areas with drunk welfare dependents, it is as safe as Singapore. Non Australian students are allowed to work about 20 hours a week. Your level of SPOKEN English will determine your income to a huge degree. A heavy accent could see you earn around $10/hr in menial jobs. Strong practical young men willing to be construction labourers can earn well over $1000 a week with zero experience other than common sense for safety and work ethic. Cleaning or restaurant type jobs are plenty.

Other than accommodation, basics like food and dining out are almost as cheap as USA or SE asia if you are prepared to travel or hunt for supermarket specials. Mobile or cellphone pricing can be cheap as $40 unlimited pre month with 2gb data to over $100 for superb superfast Telstra.
For example : potatoes cost 2.50/kg in supermarkets but 50 cents/kg in most markets for 5kg bag. Imported thai jasmine rice around 1/kg. Supermarket brand bread is only $1 per 600gm loaf. Supermarket brand staples can be half the cost of name brands. A tin of tomatoes thus can range from 60cents to $2 for example.
A large BigMac meal is about the same price as a huge bowl of noodles in a typical Asian eatery.
Meal portions are typically in between USA and northern Europe. A large Vietnamese pho in the Asian shopping strip is 2.5-3 times the size of your standard bowl in Singapore or Malaysia or Thailand. A large pizza takeout at a decent Italian pizzeria is European diameter size but a lot more volume. Think USA topping amount ! American chain pizza are lesser quality and value but cheaper. Pasta is similar. Wine can be as cheap as $4 a bottle but $8 drinkable. Cask wine on special can be down to $10 per 3 litres. Water comes from the mountains and drinkable right out of the tap with no yukky taste! Yes we waste a HUGE amount of drinking water in our country!
Going out to pubs and nicer places is similar per Sydney, London, Paris, NYC or Tokyo etc.
Second hand cars are extremely cheap compared to Europe or asia. 2k could get you a decent ride.
There are online sites for almost anything from cars to second hand clothing ala Craigslist/Ebay etc.
WAGES : Single person anything above 50k is fine. If you share rent, it's plenty enough. Above 65k, you'd consider buying. For couple, 80k rent versus 100k buy. Add 10-15k per child.
Government education is almost free and good enough to get into university. Private education can be astronomical but it brings different benefits aside from ensuring academic success.
Medical is free in medicare clinics and widely available.
If you have good English, are not fussy about a job and are willing to work, Melbourne is a phenomenal city if you consider how much it cost the government to put such infrastructures. Income potential once you know the culture is easy per overtime, second job or part time work etc.
Like anywhere else, the greater income the greater scope.

Hi I'm planning to do masters in business(marketing) or (human research) from Melbourne. Can I get a decent job after my studies and settle down there?

Hi to Antoine Monroe re post on Jul 29, 2015 :

Q: what are my chances coming from ny as a entry level cook / chef ?

A: I'd say pretty good... Melbourne is a dinning-out type of city .. everyone eats out
and at all ends of the $ dollar scale.

From cheap lunches in the $7 - $12 range to fancy joints in the $70 - $200 range..

So long as you can get the right papers together (working visa etc..) then you should have no problems..

Also, cooks/chefs can make good money by working extra hours, penalty shifts and weekends / public holidays.. So if you are prepared to put the extra hours in then you can be bring in a ton of dough..

Victoria is currently offering visa nomination for eligible chefs. To be eligible to apply chefs must meet Victoria's minimum eligibility requirements and address the nomination assessment requirements for the occupation. See the Occupation Lists for more information.

More detailed information about applying for Victorian Government visa nomination is available in the Visas and Immigration section.

Copy and paste the following link into your browser
http://www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/working-and-employment/occupations/chef#.VbmxGUU84fo

Hi Jordon, yes housing is very expensive in Melb & Syd but not all housing..

What type of housing isn't appreciating through the roof..

One and two bedroom unrenovated flats in older blocks .. 60s & 70s built blocks.. in good areas
can still be purchased from $240K - $280K and you don't have to live miles/k,'s away from civilization. (add around $100k for a 2 bedroom flat).

In good areas like Murrumbeena (loc 13 km from city) right near the railway station you can pick up places for these amounts..

The Reason:

An over supply of newly built smart apartments that has caused the devaluation of the old 60s/70s
built blocks..

The prices haven't increased over the past 5 years for the older blocks of flats.

HOUSES ARE EXPENSIVE because LAND is sought after by investors, developers and cashed up individuals.

Also, the cashed-up arrivals from overseas tend to buy newly built or renovated properties and usually not the style of the older blocks.

OTHER OPTION:

Move 30 + km from the city and buy a house for $300 - $400K and commute into the city every day
(if you work in the city).

Dav,

Thank you for your timely response, i really appreciate it.

Please, if possible, do share those weblink's as it would be of great use to me.

Thanks
Hamilton

Hamilton,

I posted a long reply with lot's of useful links but for some reason it hasn't shown up.

To summarize.

Melbourne has a lot of Independent film making and production businesses

Funding for independent films is available from a variety of State governments
and other entities such as Screen Aust.

There are a number of online websites where you can find out more information and meet fellow like-minded creative people and gain an insight into the film and digital entertainment industry.

Melbourne is a great city for creative people Film making, TV entertainment, recorded music, live performances. Actors, Singers, Musicians, Voice-overs, 3D graphic modelling, Writers, Composers, Backroom support, Camera Operators, Lighting, Make-up, Costume design/making, props building.. etc etc..

Come to Melbourne and realise your ambition..

hi!! i want to open a coffee shop in melbourne
what amount am i looking at for a good genuine coffee shop such as "league of honest coffee"

Hi,
I am planning of moving to Oz in December from London. How difficult is it to find a job as a secondary maths teacher in Melbourne? Is it better to apply for the job while in London or in Melbourne?
What is the salary like? How are the schools and curriculum like because I will be moving with two children and my husband. My children are in Year 11 and year 2 at the moment. My husband is open to any job.
Please advise.
Kanchan