University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Everything is very expensive in Australia. The telephone service I used the entire time was a pre-paid mobile phone, which cost 25 cents per minute for a local call, and calling cards which you could use from a pay phone and would cost you approximately 2 cents per minute (to call the US) I strongly recommend getting Skype as you can use it at internet cafes or if you get the internet in your residence. The housing was expensive but definitely worth it, it was $200 AUD per week for our house per person, but it was very nice and only 2 blocks from the ocean. Nightlife is very expensive compared to the normal University town in America, for a mixed drink (ie. Bourbon and Coke) you will pay between 6 and 9 AUD and for a pint of beer it will be between 4 and 8 AUD. The travel is expensive but well worth it, try to use Jetstar and Virgin Blue as they are much cheaper than flying Qantas. For the food, you should look out for bars that offer $5 steak night (Five-0 in Coogee offers very moderately priced meals 5-9 AUD) these aren't the best steaks but they are good and the portions are large.

Sydney is cheap for Americans. Our dollar is worth considerably more. However, you will spend more than you originally budget.

Because it was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I wanted to do my best to take advantage of it. I wound up working so that I could prolong my stay.

Being in Australia, you want to see and do as much as possible, which makes you spend more on e.g. travel expenses than you would do at home.

While studying abroad I had the tendency to splurge on things because it felt like a "once in a lifetime" experience

different living expenses rate