Can a Part-Time Job Cover Your Costs in Australia? Real Maths 2026

Cost of living in Australia for Indians, October 2026: my real monthly budget after 2 years in Melbourne. Rent, myki transport, groceries, SIM and bills, OSHC, and whether a part-time job actually covers it. My estimates: tight budget about A$1,200 a month, normal about A$1,750, comfortable about A$2,400. These come from my own life here, not government data. 🇮🇳 Planning to come from India? Real room prices by area (city, middle suburbs, Clayton, Dandenong, Werribee, Tarneit, Geelong), the weekly grocery bill, the myki mistake that gets students fined, and the part-time job maths most people get wrong before they land. 🇦🇺 Already in Melbourne? Where to find a cheaper room (Facebook Marketplace, community groups, Flatmates), which myki option saves money, and three budgets to compare yours against. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 How much does Australia cost per month? 00:32 Who I am 00:54 Why older numbers are outdated 01:13 Rent: room prices in Melbourne 01:37 Where to find a room 02:15 City vs suburbs vs shared room 03:10 Transport: the concession mistake 03:51 Myki pass: which one saves money 04:20 Groceries: 3 weekly budgets 05:19 SIM card, bills and OSHC 06:10 Total: tight, normal, comfortable 07:01 Can a part-time job cover it? 07:53 The job market right now 08:08 My honest advice 📌 Updates and corrections (checked 10 Oct 2026) • Public transport in Victoria is half price for everyone from 1 June 2026 until 1 January 2027. The A$1,111.50 yearly myki pass (A$1,000.35 through the Monash Commuter Club) is the half-price rate. Arriving in 2027? Budget roughly double. A 28-day pass is about A$96 now and about A$192 at full price (2026 rates). • The 50% International Student Travel Pass is for undergraduate international students only (90, 180 or 365-day passes). • The first room prices I mention (A$500–1,500 and A$800–1,500) are per month. The area prices after that are per week. • A$33.05/hour is the national minimum wage (A$26.44 from 1 July 2026) plus 25% casual loading, before tax. Your award rate may be higher, especially on weekends. • For comparison, Home Affairs' living-cost figure for a student visa is A$29,710 a year (about A$2,476 a month). 🔗 Official sources Minimum wage (Fair Work): https://www.fairwork.gov.au/tools-and... Student visa work hours (Study Australia): https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en_... Half-price public transport (Victorian Government): https://www.vic.gov.au/half-price-travel International Student Travel Pass (University of Melbourne page): https://students.unimelb.edu.au/stude... Unemployment, August 2026 (ABS): https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/m... RBA cash rate: https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/cas... Student visa (subclass 500), fees and requirements: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas... ⚠️ General information from my own experience, not financial or migration advice. Prices change; check the official links before you budget. 💬 Help the next person: comment your suburb, weekly rent and room type (shared or private). I'll collect the best ones into a real Melbourne rent list. Got a question? Ask. If I don't know, I'll research it and reply. Let's build this community together. ▶️ My honest 2 years in Australia:    • Life in Australia for Indians/My Honest 2 ...   ▶️ New student visa family rule (2 Oct 2026):    • Why🇦🇺 Australia😭Stopped Students Bringing ...   #IndianInAustralia #StudyInAustralia #CostOfLivingAustralia