Weekly spending - Melbourne

kkelly77

How much do you spend per week (excluding rent) on living expenses?

The reason I ask is I have an opportunity to visit a friend in Melbourne who is allowing me to stay with them while I'm there. However, after paying for a flight, I don't have a hell of lot of money left over. I'm basically trying to figure out the length of time I can afford to stay.

Any help greatly appreciated, thanks.

Cooperspale

This is a very open question.

Do you like to go out to the pub? If so, how many nights a week? Budget for 5-10$ for pots and pints of beer. $$ if you like cocktails.
Where will you be staying? You may need a myki card to use public transport. 6$ for the card and get 10x2 hr trips for $32.80 or charge as you go and it's about a dollar more per trip mon-fri.
Coffee is anything from 2.70-4$ odd. a chocolate bar is $2.50 in a corner shop.
Depending on where you go dining in can vary considerably eg coffee and a small caramel slice last weekend at the pier in Port Melbourne was $8.50.
Same thing but bigger slice at Greens in Brunswick is $5.50.

Breakfast can vary from 6-18$ for bacon and eggs depending on location, drinks extra.
Lunch the same.
Dinner anything from $10 to 30 and that's not fancy at all.

RSLs and pubs can do certain deals on certain nights.

Going to cinema is $18.50 at village in crown for a standard film. $21.50 for 3D.
You can google the various attractions and get admission fees.

Bring whatever clothes you need, there are no bargains here.

Melbourne is not a bargain destination. You'll need 50$ daily as a bare minimum and $150 at top end but you wouldnt be going mad either to see stuff, go places, eat, drink etc

Zambia

1 You get up


2 You go and buy a coffee $4

3 You catch a train $4

4 At some point you buy lunch $15

5 You buy dinner $35

6 You have a Few drinks $35

7 You get a cab $20

8 You go to sleep

massdebater

Zambia, that's mental. Why would he go for a few drinks somewhere that's $20 in a cab away from where he was staying? And that's assuming his mates aren't there to share the fare with him. I doubt he's going to be spending $35 each day on an evening meal either.

OP, $50 will get you enough food in Coles/Woolies to eat for the week (mon - fri) if you cook at your mates place. Going on the beer will be your most expensive pursuit. $400-500 is loads for a week, depending on how much you want to do, of course. Your mates should know how to survive in Melbourne without spending a fortune too so they'll know places that do good deals etc.

kkelly77

Cooperspale wrote: »

This is a very open question.

Do you like to go out to the pub? If so, how many nights a week? Budget for 5-10$ for pots and pints of beer. $$ if you like cocktails.
Where will you be staying? You may need a myki card to use public transport. 6$ for the card and get 10x2 hr trips for $32.80 or charge as you go and it's about a dollar more per trip mon-fri.
Coffee is anything from 2.70-4$ odd. a chocolate bar is $2.50 in a corner shop.
Depending on where you go dining in can vary considerably eg coffee and a small caramel slice last weekend at the pier in Port Melbourne was $8.50.
Same thing but bigger slice at Greens in Brunswick is $5.50.

Breakfast can vary from 6-18$ for bacon and eggs depending on location, drinks extra.
Lunch the same.
Dinner anything from $10 to 30 and that's not fancy at all.

RSLs and pubs can do certain deals on certain nights.

Going to cinema is $18.50 at village in crown for a standard film. $21.50 for 3D.
You can google the various attractions and get admission fees.

Bring whatever clothes you need, there are no bargains here.

Melbourne is not a bargain destination. You'll need 50$ daily as a bare minimum and $150 at top end but you wouldnt be going mad either to see stuff, go places, eat, drink etc

Thanks for the comprehensive reply Cooperspale. Just the sort of information I'm after. You seem to have covered everything.

I would only be a 1 night a week in the pub type and I did hear that alcohol isn't any cheaper than it is here. I'm sure I'll go out for meals the odd time but not planning on making it a daily habit while I'm there. Does the MYKI card work on a timed trip rather than cost per trip?

Good advice on clothes too. I was actually going to pack light and buy gear over there. Thought there might be some cheap outlet stores.

kkelly77

massdebater wrote: »

OP, $50 will get you enough food in Coles/Woolies to eat for the week (mon - fri) if you cook at your mates place. Going on the beer will be your most expensive pursuit. $400-500 is loads for a week, depending on how much you want to do, of course. Your mates should know how to survive in Melbourne without spending a fortune too so they'll know places that do good deals etc.

Home cooking is the plan just to keep costs down. I'm only staying with one friend who is permanent in Oz, not a bunch of lads on WHV's. Less 16hr drinking sessions

Zambia

massdebater wrote: »

Zambia, that's mental. Why would he go for a few drinks somewhere that's $20 in a cab away from where he was staying? And that's assuming his mates aren't there to share the fare with him. I doubt he's going to be spending $35 each day on an evening meal either.

OP, $50 will get you enough food in Coles/Woolies to eat for the week (mon - fri) if you cook at your mates place. Going on the beer will be your most expensive pursuit. $400-500 is loads for a week, depending on how much you want to do, of course. Your mates should know how to survive in Melbourne without spending a fortune too so they'll know places that do good deals etc.

Because people on PR tend not to live around the corner from the city.