A Guide to Living in Brisbane

Brisbane cityscape with iconic landmarks and the Brisbane River.
Explore the ultimate guide to living in Brisbane for international students.

Brisbane is Australia’s New World City. It’s a multicultural hub of creativity and innovation welcoming students with forward-thinking education and world-class research facilities.

With stunning historical landmarks, diverse shopping arcades, bars, and a thriving art and music scene, Brisbane is hard to beat for international student life. Not to mention the man-made beach (the only one in Australia). On top of that, ‘Brissie’ offers sunshine all year round and plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy.

Things to Do in Brisbane

Go scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is one of Queensland’s most striking, beautiful, and famous sights, but can’t be viewed from dry land. If you’re looking to get a true impression of this remarkable, global icon, you have to get out onto the ocean and either snorkel or scuba dive.

Hang out at a theme park The Gold Coast could also be called Australia’s theme park central. If you’re looking for a fun daytime activity choose from one of the 6 theme parks: Movie World, Sea World, Wet ‘n’ Wild, White Water World, Australian Outback Spectacular, and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

Check out QAGOMA The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) features a range of artists from Australia and around the globe. QAGOMA’s aim is to connect people with art and push the boundaries in the process. Have a look at the cinema, which shows curated work from influential filmmakers.

Average Weekly Costs

  • Rent: 120 to 500 AUD
  • Food: 80 to 300 AUD
  • Electricity/gas: 30 to 90 AUD
  • Transport: 12 to 60 AUD
  • Internet and mobile: 20 to 40 AUD
  • Other: 50+ AUD
  • Total: 330 to 1,000 AUD

Transport in Brisbane

  1. Trains: Trains are your best option when getting to and from suburbs located a bit further out from the city. Most train routes run either twice or three times every hour and go down to hourly departures later in the night.
  2. Buses: Brisbane has an enormous bus network taking you from the city all the way to the border of NSW. For city centre transport, look out for red stop signs. Here you can hop on the free loop service throughout the day.
  3. Ferries: Brisbane offers three types of ferries. The CityCat takes you up the city all the way to the University of Queensland. CityHopper runs from one side of the river to the other. And cross-river ferries travel from side to side.
  4. Uber: Uber was made legal in Queensland in September 2016, including regulations around background checks and annual inspections.

Suburbs in Brisbane

Brisbane City: Brisbane’s city centre is home to a range of exciting venues and historical locations, due to a recent transformation project. The city centre’s architecture could be described as a mixture of modern buildings and gorgeous sandstone, churches, and even colonial-era architecture dating back to the 1880s.

West End and South Brisbane: Here you’ll find the latest in shopping, art, food, and coffee. The West End and South Brisbane have recently undergone a colourful transformation and are now often described as fashionable and funky—a great place to visit and live.

Fortitude Valley, New Farm and Newstead: Fortitude Valley, often only called ‘The Valley’ is your go-to place if you’re looking for either elegant or grungy. Trendy boutiques share streets with hip stores and unique rooftop bars—basically a little something for everyone.

St Lucia and Toowong: A lot of students live in this area. There are lots of spots to relax along the river and to explore in the hills. You’ll find quiet areas for studying, plus exciting hotspots to explore.

Top 5 Things to Do in Brisbane

Galleries:

  • Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
  • QUT Art Museum
  • Institute of Modern Art (IMA)
  • Philip Bacon Gallery
  • Jan Murphy Gallery

Bakeries:

  • Jocelyn’s Provisions
  • Crust & Co
  • Beerkary Bakery
  • Flour and Chocolate
  • I Heart Brownies

Markets:

  • Jan Powers Powerhouse Markets
  • Boundary Street Markets
  • Milton Markets
  • South Bank Young Designers Market
  • Twilight Makers Market

Music Venues:

  • The Triffid
  • Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall
  • The Zoo
  • Brooklyn Standard
  • The Tivoli

How MyGlobalUni Can Help You Get Admission in Top Universities in Brisbane

Ready to start your educational journey in Brisbane? MyGlobalUni is here to assist you every step of the way. From finding the right university to guiding you through the application process, we offer comprehensive support to ensure your success. Our expert counsellors have extensive experience and can help you secure admission to top universities in Brisbane.Get a Free Consultation Call Today!

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