When you visit Australia if there’s one thing you want to carefully plan out in advance it is your budget. Make no mistake Australia can be a little bit on the pricier side, and if you aren’t careful you will very quickly go through your budget.
Keeping that in mind, there are 4 items that you should include in your budget and plan in advance before visiting Australia:
- Accommodation
The cost for accommodation can vary quite a lot, but you can expect it to be somewhere in the range of 20 to 40 AUD for a dorm room, 75 to 100 AUD for a private room in a hostel or budget hotel, or about 150 to 200 AUD for a room in a larger hotel chain. Other accommodation types are also available, such as homestays or camping – which you could consider if your budget is tight.
- Meals
Eating out at restaurants can get expensive quickly and you should budget at least 20 to 30 AUD for a meal if you intend to do so. On the other hand if you feel you can get by on fast food and takeout then you may spend about 10 to 15 AUD. Needless to say the cheapest option is to buy your own groceries and cook for yourself.
- Transportation in Australia
Excluding your flight, you’ll need to get around within Australia itself – and your budget will largely depend on whether you’re traveling within a certain area or to other parts of the country. Generally if you’re sticking within a single city you should be able to get by on the local trains and buses which are relatively cheap, but if not you may have to look at renting a vehicle or booking local flights.
- Phone and internet
Assuming you would prefer not to be completely disconnected, you should pick up a prepaid Australian SIM card that will let you make calls and give you access to 4G internet. Prices can range from 10 to 30 AUD, depending on how many minutes and how much data you want.
By taking the time to plan your budget out you should be able to figure out exactly how much you’re going to need and won’t have to worry about spending over your limit. Of course you’ll also want to check whether you require an Australian ETA visa or eVisitor visa, but once you do you should be good to go.
