Essential to remember
Accommodations in Australia : backpackers (30-50 AUD/night), Airbnb (60-150 AUD/night), hotels (100-300 AUD/night), camping (20-40 AUD/night). For long stays, favor shared housing (sharehouse) at 800-1,200 AUD/month.
Accommodation in Australia, Where to sleep in Australia ?
  ;First of all, it is very easy to find accommodation in Australia but if you have specific criteria, it will be more difficult to find one !
For accommodation in Australia, I will rather focus on youth hostels and apartments !
Accommodation in Australia :
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Accommodations in Australia : Apartments and houses !
If you don’t like shared housing, you can already close this page because Sydney or Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, the largest cities in Australia are full of shared housing; it is rare to find an apartment to rent for one or two people if you stay for a few months ! Well, it is always possible but you have to pay the price !
Did you know ?
Australia has more than 1,800 backpackers (hostels) listed on Hostelworld. It is the 4th highest density worldwide after the United Kingdom, Germany, and Thailand. Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns concentrate 40 % of the stock.
Shared housing is generally very easy to find, you have to give 2 weeks’ deposit !
I actually shared a shared house with a very discreet Finnish guy and an Australian for 4 months ! It was a fairly quiet shared house !
My experience
My 18 months of WHV in Australia alternated: backpackers on arrival (1 month), sharehouse in Melbourne (8 months), camping on road trips (4 months), Airbnb between cities (5 months). The most economical and experiential mix.
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Accommodations in Australia : Youth hostels, backpackers
It is also the place where your adventure in Oz starts and also the beginning of the encounters you will make that will change your destiny in Australia ! I personally met a Canadian and an Englishman during my first night in Australia !
It is a place where it is easy to meet people and also knowing that these are backpackers just like you who have just arrived, they are very eager to discover the city and also to party, most of them are often very open !
Advantages
- Very wide choice
- Active and friendly backpackers
- Sharehouse for economical long stays
- Accessible camping in the outback
- High-end hotels at affordable prices
Weak points
- High prices in big cities
- Sharehouses sometimes crowded
- Camping forbidden outside authorized zones
- Noisy backpackers at night
- Airbnb subject to strict regulations
| Type | Price per night | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker dorm | 30-50 AUD | Short stay, social |
| Backpacker private room | 80-130 AUD | Short stay, quiet |
| Airbnb | 60-150 AUD | Short stay, family |
| 3* Hotel | 120-200 AUD | Business, comfort |
| Sharehouse (month) | 200-300 AUD/week | Long stay |
Know that in any small town there is a backpacker hostel, and it is always very easy to find one! Most of the time you will be sharing your room with 3, 4, 5 up to 8 people on average!
I can also tell you that if you stay long enough in a backpacker hostel, you will have many stories to tell because a lot happens!
As an anecdote, I lived for more than 2 months in the same backpacker hostel in Sydney in an 8-person room! It was a bit chaotic but you get used to it over time!
The classic trap to avoid
Avoid Airbnb for long stays (>3 months). Hosts often charge an extra “cleaning fee” on top of the nightly rate, which quickly adds up. Prefer a monthly lease via Flatmates or Domain.
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Where to sleep in Australia: Caravan Parks
If you travel across Australia, you will inevitably stop at a caravan park to pitch your tent, relax and rest! It is also quite common to meet grey Nomads (retirees traveling across Australia for a few years). Caravan parks usually have a kitchen, showers, and you also have to pay extra if you want to use electricity!
I actually lived some of my best moments in Australia for 2 months in a caravan park in Tasmania. It is a more economical option than backpacking!
Along the same lines, the article on description of Australia provides useful insight. Our feedback on housing search also offers good tips, and the guide dedicated to choosing your accommodation completes the picture well.
If you want to read other articles about Australia, follow the section travel advice Australia
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What accommodation should you choose in Australia?
Backpacker for short social stays, sharehouse for long economical stays, Airbnb for families on short stays.
How much does a room cost in Australia?
30-50 AUD in dormitory, 80-150 AUD in private, 200-300 AUD in hotel.
Can you camp in Australia?
Yes in authorized areas (national parks, private lands). Wild camping is prohibited in some states.
