Top major cities in Australia attracting international students

 Sydney Opera House on blue harbor with ferries and boats cruising across turquoise waters under clear summer sky

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  • Published: 4 March 2024

Australia has always been an attractive destination, ideal for everyone from all over the world. To recognize and discover these highlights, you should visit each city of Australia. The article below will "tell you" the top 5 most famous Australian cities in the world, let's read and refer to it!

1. Top 5 cities that attract the most international students in Australia

According to the QS Best Student Cities Ranking, Australia currently has 5 cities in the top 50 cities with the most international students in the world, respectively Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, and Perth.

1.1. Melbourne City (ranked 4/50)

1 - World-class education quality: Melbourne is home to many of the world's top universities, such as the University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT University,... Students studying at universities located in this Australian city can easily find jobs with extremely high salaries and good incentives after graduation.

2 - Reasonable cost of living: The cost of living for an international student will usually range from 1,200 to 1,500 AUD/month. In particular, in Melbourne, you only need to use one type of card that can pay for all public transport here.

3 - Australia's multicultural capital: When walking on the street, you can easily see images of Asians communicating fluently and in English, or you can also see a banquet table of people with different skin colors, and multinationalities chatting happily with each other.

4 - Famous universities in Melbourne: The city of Melbourne is home to many of the world's top universities, including the following:

1.2. Sydney City (ranked 9/50)

1 - Owning many world-leading universities: All study programs in Sydney meet international standards, the lecture content is always updated, keeping up with the latest trends with in-depth research. It is also because of this that students after graduating from universities in this Australian city are always welcomed everywhere in the world. Sydney is home to a number of universities that are renowned for their top-quality education, such as:

2 - There is a large number of international students: It is estimated that more than 30,000 students study in the city of Sydney. The reason why people choose this place as a study destination is that most universities in Sydney are located in the inner city, which saves time as well as creates conditions for international students to get used to the new environment.

3 - It is a destination for many multinational corporations: More and more multinational corporations and large enterprises are investing in construction and economic development in a large Australian city such as Sydney. Since then, many professions have been expanded, helping you have more job opportunities after completing the study program.

1.3. Brisbane City (ranked 21/50)

1 - Convergence of the world's top universities: Brisbane is increasingly becoming a new and dynamic learning environment and attracting many students to study and research. Universities here always try to provide the most advanced facilities for students' learning purposes. Some of the famous universities located in the Australian city can be mentioned such as:

2 - Get 50% off the fare when using public transportation: There are 2 types of cards you can use: "Translink go" and "Student go". With the "Translink go" card, you will use it to take the train, ferry or bus, and with the "Student go" card, you will get even more discounts.

3 - City security is always guaranteed: International students do not need to worry about fights or thefts. The safety of every citizen is always the top priority of the city.

1.4. Canberra City (ranked 22/50)

1 - Owning the most modern infrastructure: Universities in Canberra City always provide students with full facilities as well as the most modern and advanced learning equipment and the quality of teaching is increasingly improved.

2 - Modern Campus System: The difference between Canberra City compared to other Australian cities is that this city is the only place with a campus system for students right on campus with an extremely large area. So you don't need to worry about accommodation or transportation when studying in this city.

3 - The city has a low unemployment rate: The majority of students at universities in Canberra are employed immediately after graduation due to the need for economic development of industries such as information technology, healthcare, and construction, so Canberra is experiencing a serious shortage of workers.

4 – Famous universities in Canberra:

  • The Australian National University

  • University of Canberra

  • University of New South Wales

  • Charles Sturt University

  • Canberra Institute of Technology

1.5. City of Perth (ranked 39/50)

1 - Specializing in science and technology: Universities in Western Australia are recognized as the world's leading schools in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Students are free to choose different majors. Universities in Perth are also renowned for their state-of-the-art research facilities and have won numerous professional research awards.

2 - Low cost of living: Compared to two major Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, the cost of living in Perth is much cheaper. The average price of each type of housing for students studying in Australia in this city ranges from the following:

  • Guest house: 80 - 135 AUD/week

  • Sharehouse: 70 - 250 AUD/week

  • Dormitory: 80 - 250 AUD/week

  • Homestay: 110 - 270 AUD/week

  • Private rental: 100 - 400 AUD/week

3 - Get up to 49% off the fare for transportation in the state: This has helped international students save most of their travel costs when studying abroad.

4 – Famous universities in Perth:

  • Curtin University

  • Edith Cowan University (ECU)

  • University of Western Australia

You can learn more about other famous Australian universities through the following article: Top 8 Schools in Australia

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2. Top 5 most populous cities in Australia

Here are the 5 cities in Australia with the largest population in Australia based on statistics from the 2022 World Population Review.

2.1. City of Sydney

Sydney is the most populous Australian city in Australia, an iconic Australian landmark. Therefore, it is not surprising that this city is always the first choice for everyone when deciding to live and work in Australia.

The city of Sydney has a relatively large area of 12,368 km2, is located in the southeast, surrounded by the port of Jackson in Australia, and is the largest financial center of Australia. Sydney has a total population of 4,627,345 people, including both Australians and foreigners (According to statistics from the 2022 World Population Review).

2.2. City of Melbourne

Melbourne is Australia's second most populous Australian city with a total population of 4,246,375 (According to statistics from the 2022 World Population Review) and has been ranked as the world's most livable Australian city for many years in a row. Just like Sydney, Melbourne is one of Australia's important financial centres, located right near Port Phillip Bay, in the south of Victoria, with the largest area in the state up to 9,992 square kilometers.

2.3. City of Brisbane

Brisbane is Australia's third most populous Australian city, covering an area of 15,826 km2 with a total population of 2,189,878 people (According to statistics from the 2022 World Population Review). The city of Brisbane is located in the northeast of Australia and is the capital of the state of Queensland.

Although Brisbane is not as popular as Sydney or Melbourne, the city has always maintained a steady and rapid growth rate and is better known as Australia's "New World City".

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2.4. City of Perth

The 4th most populous Australian city in Australia is Perth with an area of 6,418 km2 and a total population of 1,896,548 people (According to statistics from the World Population Review in 2022). However, not as noisy and bustling as Sydney or Melbourne, Perth brings a sense of peace and comfort because of its low population density, thereby attracting a lot of people to live and work here.

2.5. Adelaide City

Located in 5th place in the ranking of the most populous Australian cities in Australia is Adelaide with an area of 3,260 km2 and a total population of 1,225,235 people (According to statistics from the World Population Review 2022). The city also stands out and attracts residents on a wide scale and is the largest tourism development in Australia.

3. Top 5 most livable Australian cities in Australia

According to a survey by Resonance Consultancy - a leading global consultant on branding and marketing for the best-developed cities, districts, and regions in the world, there are 5 Australian cities in the top 100 most livable cities in the world in 2021, namely Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.

3.1. Sydney City (ranked 25/100)

1 - Sydney has the most developed economy in Australia: According to statistics from the Australian Department of Regional Development, the GDP of the city of Sydney accounts for 1/5 of Australia's total GDP and has always been an ideal destination for large investors from all over the world. In addition, Sydney attracts people to work and develop economically because of the extremely good policies and remuneration of the city government for people here, helping them to have a happy and stable life.

2 - Sydney is a multicultural Australian city: When you come here, you will have the opportunity to enjoy many delicious dishes served at famous, luxurious, top-class restaurants or you can visit and experience reality in the suburbs of Sydney. Since Australia is a multicultural country, the city of Sydney is also distinguished by the intersection of cultures from different countries. Therefore, racism or religious discrimination rarely occurs here.

3 - Sydney has an extensive transport system: Don't have your own transportation? Don't worry, Sydney's public transport system is diverse. You can travel anywhere in Australia by means such as buses, trams, trains or even ferries at very affordable prices. So why not try it right away?

3.2. Melbourne City (ranked 37/100)

1 - As an Australian city for nature lovers: Melbourne is famous for many beautiful, clear blue beaches that are among the top in the world, attracting a lot of domestic and foreign tourists to visit and travel and relax every year. The highlight of the city of Melbourne is probably the ecosystem that is gradually balancing with flora and fauna, microclimate, water cycle, and economic, social, and human infrastructure. Therefore, the air in Melbourne is very fresh, comfortable, and extremely suitable for those who love natural beauty.

2 - Friendly and sociable people: Whether you are a stranger or from another country, when you are walking on the street, you will always come across the image of people here always smiling on their lips or even greeting you.

3 - Unique and convenient transportation system: You can travel by train without any fees when traveling in the Australian city center, or you can pay a little extra for the experience of riding in extremely gorgeous horse-drawn carriages, new.

3.3. Brisbane City (ranked 70/100)

1 - Affordable cost of living: The cost of living needs to be paid when living in a big Australian city like Brisbane is very reasonable, and cheaper than the other two big cities in Australia, Sydney and Melbourne.

For those who are looking to rent an apartment in Brisbane, prices will fluctuate between the following:

  • 1-bedroom apartment: Approx. 420 AUD/week

  • 2-bedroom apartment: About 550 AUD/week

For those who are looking to buy property in the city of Brisbane, the prices will fluctuate between the following:

  • 1-bedroom apartment: Approx. 302,500 AUD

  • 2-bedroom apartment: Approximately AUD 550,000

2 - There are many scenic spots: When it comes to the most beautiful coral reefs in the world, it would be a big omission not to mention the Great Reef Barrier of Brisbane, Australia. The climate here is pleasant and cool all year round, around the city, there are built a lot of parks, surrounded by a lot of green trees.

3 - As a leading development center city in Australia: In recent years, the city's economy has had significant growth in almost all industries, including a few industries such as Information and Communication Technology, Mining Technology & Services, etc Life Sciences,... In addition, tourism also plays a very important role in the economic growth of the city of Brisbane with more than 5 million people visiting this Australian city every year.

3.4. Adelaide City (ranked 75/100)

Dubbed the "city in the park": South Australia's first survey general, Colonel William Light, designed the grid layout for the entire city surrounded by about 930 hectares of parkland in 1837. Adelaide Park Lands was even listed as a National Heritage Site in 2008.

2 - "Pleasant" cost of living: Rents in Adelaide are extremely cheap, only 1/2 of Sydney. Moreover, you will not need to worry about the problem of deviation, "slashing" the price because the prices of all these dumbbell items are clear and equivalent.

3 - It is a "30-minute" city: Most of Adelaide's famous places are a short distance away, about 30 minutes by car. In addition, the city's transportation network is connected and distributed very evenly and clearly.

3.5. City of Perth (ranked 87/100)

1 - Vibrant Vietnamese community: Perth attracts the Vietnamese community because of its rapid and pronounced economic growth, attractive job opportunities, and affordable standard of living,... Because of that, this place has imprints with Vietnamese identity expressed through the cuisine. You can see dishes such as pho, vermicelli, and fish sauce,... and Vietnamese vegetables and fruits are sold a lot when coming to Perth city.

2 - There is a cool, mild climate all year round: Due to its location along the Swan River, Perth's climate is mild and cool all year round, creating favorable conditions for organizing many types of outdoor entertainment. These dynamic and bustling activities have made a strong impression and attracted many domestic and foreign tourists to attend here.

3 - Impressive festival culture: From June to August, when you come to Perth, you will be immersed in the bustling atmosphere of the Perth International Arts Festival with a variety of unique arts such as film, music, drama, and dance. From January to February, the city will organize a colorful and extremely high-quality Winter Art Festival, which is recognized by international friends.

5. Top 5 Australian cities with the most Vietnamese people

Australia is a multicultural country, so it is not surprising that the Vietnamese community is very concentrated, being one of the largest immigrant groups here. So don't worry or be afraid when starting your journey to a new country because the Vietnamese community in Australia will always support and help you to the best of your ability.

5.1. Cabramatta City - Sydney

The number of Vietnamese people here can be estimated at over 40,000 people and is increasing with the weather often appearing warm, pleasant, and sunny with a little "breath" of the sea breeze to help calm the heat of summer.

5.2. City of Perth

It is estimated that there are nearly 10,000 Vietnamese people currently living here. The economy in this Australian city is very developed, partly due to the large concentration of metal and mineral mines, so the job opportunities here are many and diverse. In addition, the cost of living in Perth is very moderate, so people here will have a higher income than in other Australian cities.

5.3. City of Melbourne

According to statistics, the number of Vietnamese people currently living and working here has reached more than 100,000 people and is increasing further. The attraction of people to Melbourne is that this Australian city is home to many major shopping malls and shopping, and entertainment areas. This place is also famous for its top-notch security and education system, as well as a fresh environment and rich green ecosystem.

5.4. City of Brisbane

Because of the diversity of industries, job opportunities for Vietnamese people are very high, in addition, the cost of living is relatively cheap. However, despite owning large, busy commercial buildings, the city of Brisbane still retains its light and comfortable rhythm of life.

A special feature of this Australian city is that it has a climate relatively similar to the climate in Vietnam, located in the sub-equatorial area, full of sunshine and wind. So it is not strange that many Vietnamese people gather here.

5.5. Darwin City

This is an Australian city with a bustling standard of living, along with stable economic growth year by year. With abundant job opportunities with relatively cheap living costs, along with beautiful scenery and many entertainment activities, the city has attracted a lot of Vietnamese people.

Australia has always been one of the leading countries in terms of policies for its citizens, so it attracts a lot of foreigners to study, work, and live there. If you are planning to study in Australia but still have questions about which one to choose among Australian cities, let's make a destination. Let's IDP's consultants now to get all your questions answered!

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