Travelling Australia on Your Own Terms: What It Actually Costs
Given how much there is to see and do in the country, something is exciting about the idea of travelling around Australia without a strict plan.
After a while, rushing through airports or finding yourself packed like sardines on tour buses can get you down. That’s why it is good to only follow a rough itinerary, as that gives you the freedom to stay longer in places you are enjoying and explore ones you’ve stumbled upon, having never known they existed.
Whether it’s during a road trip from Brisbane to Cairns, a few months in a campervan across Western Australia, or hopping between Melbourne and Sydney with a backpack, adopting flexible travel plans allows you to see the country on your own terms.
That said, Australia can be an expensive place to travel around. It’s also massive. Both of which mean that the cost of accommodation, transit, food, and other expenses can quickly add up, the longer you stay there.
Let’s explore this further by examining what it actually costs to venture across the Great Southern Land when you are not restricted to a set itinerary.
How Much Money Do You Really Need to Travel Around Australia?
One of the biggest questions people ask before setting off on an Antipodean adventure is how much money they actually need. Well, the truth is, it can be as cheap or as expensive as you want.
As a rough guide, if you’re planning to backpack, stay in hostels, cook your own meals, and travel slowly, you could get by on around $1,200 to $1,800 per month. That said, if you want to hire campervans, stay in private Airbnb accommodation, or eat out often, you can easily spend between $3,000 and $5,000 a month.
Transport usually takes up the biggest chunk of a traveller’s budget in Australia. That’s because the cost of fuel, flights, rental vehicles, and regional buses can quickly add up depending on where you want to go. Accommodation is another major expense, especially if you are travelling during school holidays or peak summer periods and want to stay in hotels.
The cost of food can also surprise many first-time travellers Down Under, especially when you compare it to the UK. Eating out can be expensive, with most main meals costing $20 to $40, depending on what you eat and where you eat.
What Are the Main Costs Travellers Forget to Budget For?
While most people include the big three of food, transit, and accommodation in their budgets, there are some important costs they often overlook. However, these smaller expenses can steadily add up until they catch them off guard.
One of the biggest expenses is phone data. Depending on your usage, you can use up a lot of GB web calling home, looking up Google Maps, streaming music, updating your blog, and booking accommodation online, while travelling through regional areas. As some parts of the country, especially the Outback and other remote rural areas, might not have decent connectivity, some travellers find they need to rely on Starlink or other satellite services to stay online.
Another expense travellers tend to forget about is laundry. You’ll be surprised at how much it costs to pay for washing machines in caravan parks and hostels every few days. Likewise, if you intend to rent out a car, the price of insurance and fuel is often something people do not budget for.
Other fees you can find yourself paying more than you bargained for are entry to National parks or major tourist attractions, camping permits, and tours and excursions.
When you take all of this into account, the real cost of travelling in Australia for a period of, say, 3 months could easily be between $5,000 and $15,000. For this reason, some Australians explore personal financing options with fast approval if they find themselves falling short.
How Can You Save Money While Travelling Across Australia?
While these figures might be a bit galling, there are plenty of ways you can reduce the impact of your travel experience around Australia on your finances.
Many people fund their travels around the country by taking paid employment, such as seasonal farm work, hospitality jobs, and short-term tourism roles. These are especially common in regional areas where the talent pool tends to be a bit thin.
Other ways you can save money while travelling include doing so with friends or people you meet. By sharing the cost between them, you can dramatically reduce your expenses on fuel, accommodation, and groceries. This should help to make the trip far more affordable.
There are also plenty of free activities you can enjoy, such as visiting incredible beaches, tackling walking tracks, seeing waterfalls, and going to museums that don’t charge for entry. That said, if you do want to visit some of the bigger attractions, such as the Sydney Opera House or Uluru, you can save a lot of money by booking as far in advance of your trip as possible. As mentioned, it also pays to visit during the low season periods, if possible. Usually, this is outside school holiday times, particularly in the winter months of June to August.
What Are the Best Tips for Travelling Australia on Your Own Terms?
One of the best things about travelling in Australia is that you don’t need to follow the same route as everyone else. Instead, you should do it on your own terms. Some travellers spend months hugging the coastline. Others head inland towards tiny country towns and outback landscapes they had never heard of before. The beauty of travelling on your own terms is creating a trip that feels right for you.
That said, less is definitely more. So, while you might want to see as much of the country as you can, you may well enjoy a more qualitative and cheaper experience if you just focus on a few places instead. Constantly moving between destinations can become exhausting and quite expensive over time.
Lastly, some of the best travel moments, anywhere you go, happen unexpectedly. Whether it’s finding a hidden beach, stumbling across a local market, or getting recommendations from other travellers along the way. So, it’s also worth leaving room in your plans for spontaneity.
