Where to live

Some of Melbourne's inner suburbs are funky and hip, with great coffee culture, cool shops and restaurants with high density apartment living or quirky terrace houses. Other suburbs offer leafy peace and quiet, with wide streets, shady trees, gardens, parks and houses on larger blocks.

When choosing which part of Victoria to live in, research the things that are important to you.

Designed specifically for international students coming to Melbourne, use our Accommodation quiz tool to discover what kind of accommodation matches your preferences.

Location

Many students like to live near to where they study. Check a map of Melbourne to see which suburbs are near to the university, college or school you want to enrol in.

Price

If you are looking for accommodation in a lower price range, try searching further away from the centre of Melbourne. Remember to check if there is regular transport to your university, college or school. If you don't have your own car, also consider whether there are shops and other services nearby that you could walk to or ride your bike.

Transport

There is a network of trams, trains and buses in Melbourne that extends beyond the central business district (CBD) and into the suburbs. Find out about public transport in your preferred suburb with the Melbourne local area maps on the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) website.

If you plan to study in regional Victoria check out the Regional Victoria town network maps on the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) website.

Safety

Melbourne regularly appears in lists of the safest cities in the world. Laws in Victoria protect your rights. It is against the law for anyone to bully or harass you. There are many places to go for help, including the Study Melbourne Hub and student services at your university, college or school.

Read our Tips for staying safe.

Things to do

All of Melbourne's suburbs and Victoria's regional centres have a unique flavour. If you live in the centre of Melbourne, or in the inner suburbs surrounding the city centre, a quick trip by public transport brings you into the heart of Melbourne so it will be easy to enjoy festivals, free events and a wide range of live music and theatre.

Suburbs further out have their own events and fun things to do - with Melbourne CBD still easy to access by train, tram or bus.

Ask your university, college or school

When you apply to study at a university, college or school, find out if they have any recommendations for where to live. Student associations and student unions are a good place to start.

Talk to friends and family

We have asked many students where they found out about the best places to live. Students often tell us that they asked friends or family who already lived here. If you have friends or family living in Melbourne, or if you know someone who does, they may be able to give you some tips about choosing the best suburb to live in while you study.

Regional centres

Many of Victoria's top universities and colleges have campuses in regional Victoria. These regional centres each offer different types of attractions. When you study at a campus outside Melbourne, it is often easier to be part of a community. Read more about where you can study and live in regional Victoria.