Travelling is easier to day dream about than actually plan. And, of course the cost of travelling is one of the biggest road blocks for a lot of people. Along with getting time off work, and the right motivation motivation, that is.
When you’re mentally ready to take that plunge and considering Australia as a choice, this cost guide is for you. The cost of travelling can be a major stressor on a trip, knowing what things are going to cost can help with planning a trip to Australia.
I’ve lived in Australia for the past year and a half, both travelling and working around the country. Through this time I’ve collected enough information to know and share the cost of living and travelling in Australia for a year. This is the general timeline for someone heading to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa, but this guide is for everyone.
Transportation, food and accommodation are the three major costs of travelling. This article starts off with running through the general prices and costs in those sections. After this I’m sharing the costs of other factors such as travel extras, visa pricing, health insurance and phone plans.
Then, at the end I’ve added a complete budget sheet on relative prices from the cost of my year travelling in Australia. And after there’s a bit about weekly and monthly budgeting. Overall just remember to always budget for more, what if you vehicle breaks down, what if there’s another pandemic? Everything and anything is possible.
Please note: this guide is focuses on the overall cost of travelling in Australia, for a general guide of travelling to the country check out Getting Started in Australia on a WHV.
Table of Contents
This Budget Guide Explained
Before I get too into actual prices and budget for travelling Australia, I need to clear some things up. Most prices I’m quoting are those I’ve either found myself around the country or online that I can personally verify.
I’m not including small expenses such as toiletries or clothing. This is because these prices vary so much and can usually be met with any budget.
To explain the prices symbols a bit, A$ always means Australian dollar. Adding a + at the end of a price means the price is just the starting point. Otherwise I’ll add two prices with a – in between to explain a range of that price.
All of the prices in this list are meant to be sustainable and accessible. So for food I’m not sharing fine dining prices, and for purchasing a vehicle I’m not sharing prices for a new Land Cruiser. These prices are relative to a backpacker’s budget and making the most out of money while travelling long term.
Transportation
There’s so many options for getting around Australia. Some people buy or hire a vehicle, whereas others rely on public transportation. As there’s so many different types of transportation in Australia, I’m breaking down this section into bullet points.
Just keep in mind that you get what you pay for, public transport will often be cheaper, but it also takes longer. Purchasing a vehicle is easier, but mechanic visited also get expensive.
Also a note on the range of prices, most prices start low but go up based on holidays or other busy times.
Something else to keep in mind, is these prices are current, as of the publication date which is during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plane flights for example can go as low as A$25 between Sydney to Melbourne one-way, but just not in the current environment.
- Car hire/rental A$20 – A$50 per day
- Public transportation day pass A$13 – A$16
- Single fares A$2.50 – A$10
- Greyhound/Charter Bus pass A$149 – A$329 (highest price is for year’s pass)
- Taxi rides starting at A$10 per trip
- Ride-shares starting at A$6 per trip
- Plane flights within Australia A$100 – A$800
- Purchase an (alright) vehicle starting at A$1,500 – A$5,000
- Vehicle registration + CTP A$700 + per year
- Vehicle insurance A$800 per year
- Mechanic service A$120 + per 10,000 km
- Petrol (gasoline) A$0.99 – A$1.80 per litre
Check out these Australian transportation related articles: purchasing a vehicle to travel the country, understanding vehicle insurance, understanding road tolls and driving with an international drivers license.
Food and Drinks
Australia is known for being an expensive country to travel, and that’s especially true for its overall cost of food and drinks. Food quality per price varies in cities and the regional areas. Overall cooking your own food will be cheaper.
There’s strict laws in Australian around the consumption of alcohol and the price is relatively high due to taxes. Alcohol is mainly taxed based on alcohol percentage, so a strong beer will be more expensive, than the light ones.
See below for relative prices on food and drinks, this section is not focused on fine dining, but rather budget-friendly options.
Eating Out
- Restaurant or takeout meal A$12-20
- Coffee A$4 – A$7
- Cocktail A$18 +
- Beer A$7 – A$12
Eating In
- Weekly grocery bill A$70 – A$120 per person
- Example produce costs
- Avocado A$2.50
- Head of lettuce A$2.50
- Pack of six sausages A$6
- Box of muesli A$5
- 500 g Tub of yoghurt A$5
- One litre of Milk A$1.50
To learn more about saving money on food while travelling Australia check out my article: Tips for Eating on a Budget While Travelling Australia.
Accommodation
Wherever you stay it’s going to cost you, but thankfully with Airbnb or hostels it’s so much easier to save. Generally, the cost of travelling Australia with more people can bring down the price, this goes for accommodation as well (often, anyways).
That’s where Airbnb’s come in handy, but hostels often have good deals, even on private rooms. What I’ve found is Airbnb’s are generally the same price in the city as they are in regional areas, although the regional areas may have more space up for grabs.
Where else you may be spending money is campsites while travelling. If you’re either in a camper van, or sleeping in a tent, free campsites are also an option. All quotes are per night.
- Private room in Airbnb home A$60 +
- Private ensuite or entire Airbnb home A$80 +
- Shared room in hostel A$9 – A$25
- Private room in hostel A$35 – A$100
- Hotel stay per room A$70 +
- Motel per room A$80 +
- Campground Free – A$45
Travel Extras
Travelling here and there and seeing this and that are only a fraction of what travelling is. What’s more important is to have fun, and sometimes take advantage of some travel extras such as tours, extreme sports or culture experiences. Prices are per person, per activity.
- Skydiving A$230 – A$450
- Whitsundays sailing tour A$80 – A$400
- Crocodile tour A$25 – A$100
- Whale watching A$80 – A$200
- Other wildlife tours A$60 – A$400
- Aboriginal cultural day tours A$100 +
- Cave tours A$12 – A$100
- Canyoning and abseiling tours A$150 – A$400
- National Parks day pass A$12 – A$14
To learn more about a few tours I’ve done, check out What to Know about Swimming with Whales and my review on the Capricorn Caves Adventurer tour.
Visa Prices
Before arriving to Australia or planning a trip, checking visa requirements is most important. Why? The Australian Government needs to know who and why each person is entering the country.
All visa fees and charges are outlined on the governments website, click here for more details. Fees vary greatly across the board, a Working Holiday Visa costs A$485, and a Visitor (subclass 600) costs A$165. There’s some other electronic visas that are free, though.
Remember that visa prices are in Australian Dollars and international credit cards may charge fees to convert the currency when paying these fees. Check online currency calculators for the most accurate estimation, and contact your bank for further details on fees.
COVID-19 Update: Currently the Australian Government has strict borders in place. In general, only Australian citizens or permanent residents may enter the country. Those from New Zealand can also enter as long as they’ve been in the country for at least 14 days. For more information check out the travel restrictions page for the Australian Government.
Thinking of a Working Holiday Visa? Check out my tips on the best WHV jobs for regional work, how to avoid exploitation and how to survive working in the heat!
Health Insurance
Not everyone chooses to get health insurance, but those that understand its importance, read this! There’s plenty of different options for people heading to Australia in need of health insurance.
People from certain countries qualify for reciprocal health insurance, and can get on board to Australia’s Medicare system.
If you don’t qualify for this, and are still considering health insurance it costs around A$590 to A$900 per year depending on what your health needs are. Something to keep in mind, is that most of these plans don’t offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.
For more information on choosing health insurance for a year, check out my post comparing the different plans available in Australia.
Phone Plans
Travelling without a smartphone nowadays is almost unheard of. Even if you’re in Australia for a few weeks or months, getting a phone plan is essential. Not for social media, but a valid phone number is critical for booking accommodation and other travel extras.
Pay-as-you-go phone plans with a BYO phone starts at A$9 a month after the cost of a SIM card (usually around A$2 per chip). However, this type of plan is the bare minimum, for a decent amount of data the country’s most expansive network Telstra, budget for at least A$20 a month.
The plan I use at A$20 a month has a good amount of data and unlimited international calling to certain countries (including Canada). Making calls home easier for everyone involved. Just remember to skim through the terms and conditions to make sure of the phone plan’s expiration, as there are pre-paid plans for seven days or even months long.
Budget Sheet: Total Cost of Travelling Australia for a Year
This budget is super subjective to what a person wants to do in Australia. Some people only travel the east coast of the country, whereas others go all the way around. This budget includes transportation, food, accommodation, travel extras and everything else. Just under A$23,000 all of this is possible:
| Thing | Price | Frequency |
| Working Holiday Visa | $485 | 1 |
| Vehicle (Campervan) | $4,500 | 1 |
| Registration + CTP | $700 | 1 |
| Roadside Assistance | $180 | 1 |
| Vehicle Insurance | $700 | 1 |
| Health Insurance | $700 | 1 |
| Petrol | $0.19 per km* | 42,000 = $7,980 |
| Mechanic Services | $120 | 4 = 480 |
| Grocery bill | $90 | 31 weeks = $2,790 |
| Drinks | $7 | 30 = $210 |
| Eating out | $18 | 40 = $720 |
| Phone Plan | $20 | 31 = $620 |
| Campsites | $30 | 45 = |
| Hostel | $20 | 20 = $400 |
| Sky Diving | $250 | 1 |
| Whitsundays Tour | $200 | 1 |
| Caving Tour | $100 | 1 |
| Wildlife Tour | $60 | 2 = $120 |
| Total = $22,485 |
In most areas, I’ve included what I have actually paid for things, while living in Australia. This gives the most accurate view on the cost of travelling Australia. However, there’s a few things I didn’t include which are optional, such as a van build, purchasing solar equipment and a second battery and clothing. This is just a rough guide to costs you may expect while travelling the country.
What else is important to consider, is sharing this bill with someone else. As I travel with my partner our overall cost is lower than if I was paying it all alone. We share expenses such as mechanic services, petrol and food. Splitting costs can also work with friends or relatives, but make sure it’s someone you trust.
Considering a Working Holiday Visa is a great way to supplement your income by earning while travelling. But it may also require staying in one place for a while, so it’s not possible for everyone to take a pause on travelling.
*Price per kilometre is calculated by my camper van going about 450 km on one tank of 60 L of petrol. Petrol price is estimated at A$1.25.
Weekly, Daily and Monthly Budgeting
It’s always easiest to sum up a budget by looking at weekly or daily budgeting. This will vary greatly depending on the type of trip you’re doing.
For instance, if the purpose of the trip is just for vacation you’ll be spending more money than someone doing a Working Holiday Visa whose planning to work. Or someone on a shorter trip will spend less than someone on a longer trip.
Personally I budget for A$25 a day, A$250 a week, or A$1,000 monthly. Obviously this is way under the budget sheet above, because this is the base price. This monthly budget doesn’t include things like health insurance, vehicle registration and others. It’s possible to get by on less and more than this, but it’s a good start for planning a trip to Australia.
Visiting Australia? Check out my road trips around the country such as from Sydney to Melbourne both a coastal and inland route, Sydney to Brisbane and the Great Ocean Road. These guides include where to stop, what to see, driving times and suggested days for the trip.
