cities in Australia
Six cities, and the choice is not cosmetic. Where you study in Australia changes what you spend, and — in three of these six — how many years you can work here afterwards.
Almost every guide picks your country and stops. That is the wrong place to stop for Australia, because the two decisions with the largest financial consequences sit below the country level: which city you live in, and whether that city counts as a designated regional area.
Rent in Sydney against rent in Adelaide is a difference you will feel every week for three years. The regional classification is worth an extra one or two years on a second Temporary Graduate visa — which, for most students, is the single largest number on this page.
Tap a pin to open a city.
costs more / mid-range / costs less compare these cities to each other, not to anywhere else. They are our reading of the spread across Australia, not a published index — the sourced money figures are on the costs page.
Three things move when you change city in Australia. None of them are about the university's reputation.
Post-study work years
Perth, Adelaide and Canberra are designated regional areas and can earn an extra year on a second 485. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane cannot.
What you actually spend
The visa figure is national and identical everywhere. Your real spend is not — housing is the variable, and it is the biggest line in your budget.
State nomination
Skilled migration nomination is run by each state and territory, with its own occupation lists. Where you studied and lived is often a criterion.
Who is already there
Sydney and Melbourne have the largest, longest-established Nepali communities. Smaller cities are quieter — cheaper, but a slower first six months.