Welcome to a city where you are free to be whoever you want to be! Where you can escape to the natural splendour of Moreton Bay and Islands or the Scenic Rim and Country Valleys, experience world-class exhibitions at Australia’s largest Gallery of Modern Art and indulge in the country’s premier live music scene, The Valley… all in one day!

You’ll love our buzzing urban villages with live music, the coolest cafes and an eclectic array of the finest restaurants. Keep an eye on Brisbane’s events’ calendar for huge international sporting events, exciting and unique festivals as well as live performances on Queensland’s premier shopping precinct, the Queen Street Mall where you can let loose and discover world-class retailers and heritage-listed arcades with over 700 specialty stores.

Imagine being right in the heart of the city, surrounded by skyscrapers, as you experience your own river adventure – go kayaking, roller-blading or hold your breath as you abseil 20 metres down the 20 million year old Kangaroo Point Cliffs… there’s a memorable Brisbane experience for everyone.

Also, you can drive to the Great Sunshine Way to the Gold Coast, Fraser Island and Noosa. Or you can save some days to visit Cairns and see the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

Climate

Brisbane’s has a subtropical climate – this means it is nice almost anytime of the year!

Temperatures range from an average of 10-22 degrees Celsius in its coldest month (July) to 21-30 degrees Celcius in its hottest month (January), on an annual average of 16 to 25 degrees Celcius. Brisbane gets an average of 8 hours of sunshine each day throughout the year (with 300 days of sunshine a year!), making it a warm city all year round. Most of the rain falls between November and March, when thunderstorms aren’t uncommon.

You can see more information about the climate in Brisbane here, and see the weather right now here.

Living costs

Queensland has one of the lowest costs of living in comparison with the other Australian states.

Australian Education International estimates than an international student in Australia will spend about $380 a week on accommodation, food, clothing, entertainment, transport and telephone. This figure is only an estimate though, and will change depending on your location, lifestyle and even your course.

How much money to bring

You need to make sure you have enough funds to support you when you first arrive. It is recommended that you have approximately $1500 to $2000 available for the first three weeks to pay for temporary accommodation and transport.

Indicative costs

Cost of living in Brisbane varies according to your lifestyle. A general guide to costs of living per week can be found below.

Study Australia in collaboration with Insider Guides, has developed the tool here to help you estimate how much it could cost to have the
lifestyle you choose in Australia.

The Cost of Living Calculator

It is important to note that the Calculator provides approximations only, intended as a guide for students keen to estimate their costs in Australia.

Bringing family with you

It is important to know that if you bring family with you, DHA requires student visa holders to maintain adequate schooling arrangements for school-aged dependants who are on a student dependant visa and who are in Australia for more than three months. This means you will have to pay school fees for these dependents, and enrol them in a school.

For more information on living costs in Australia click here