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Studying in Brisbane as an Indian Student: UQ, Rents, 50-Cent Public Transport and the Indian Community

Brisbane is Australia's third city and one of its fastest-growing, with 2.8 million people in 2025. Queensland charges 50 cents for any public transport journey in the south-east, for everyone, which makes it the cheapest big city in Australia to get around. It is Category 1 for the 485.

Leonid Kurza, co-founder of EdumappleBy Leonid Kurza · co-founder of Edumapple · checked

Aerial panorama of Brisbane city and its train station, and Brisbane River
Aerial panorama of Brisbane city and its train station, and Brisbane River. Photo: BobTanGo, CC BY 4.0
  • 2,833,524people, June 2025
  • 50cany bus, train or ferry trip
  • A$590one-bedroom flat, a week, Sep 2026
  • 51,543India-born residents, 2021

Universities

The University of Queensland is the Go8 university, at St Lucia on the Brisbane River, with automatic scholarships of 10–25% for international students.

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Rent

New tenancies in Brisbane City in the September quarter of 2026: one-bedroom flat ₹39,500 (A$590) a week (A$550 a year earlier), two-bedroom flat A$720, three-bedroom house A$730. UQ's own rooms start at A$401–439 a week and its residential colleges cost A$509–777. Sharing a house is the usual student choice.

Transport

Every journey on Translink buses, trains, ferries and trams costs 50 cents regardless of distance, a flat fare that removes one of the larger costs of student life elsewhere.

The Indian community

Greater Brisbane had 51,543 India-born residents at the 2021 census, 68,406 people of Indian ancestry and 22,484 Punjabi speakers. Queensland residents use the India Passport and Visa Services Centre run by VFS Global in Brisbane.

Around the city

Aerial panorama of Brisbane city from Roma Parklands
Aerial panorama of Brisbane city from Roma Parklands. Photo: BobTanGo, CC BY 4.0

Questions from Indian students: Australia

Which universities are in Brisbane?
On this site, the University of Queensland, with its main campus at St Lucia. Griffith and QUT also teach in Brisbane.
How much is rent in Brisbane?
RTA Queensland's medians for new tenancies in the September quarter of 2026: A$590 a week for a one-bedroom flat, A$720 for two bedrooms, A$650 across all dwellings. UQ quotes a shared room off campus from A$359 a week.
How much is public transport in Brisbane?
50 cents a journey, any distance, for everyone in South East Queensland. There is no need to apply for a student concession.
Where do Indians live in Brisbane?
Brisbane City had 35,188 India-born residents in 2021; Calamvale and the southern suburbs have notable concentrations.
Is Brisbane regional for the 485?
No, it is Category 1. The Gold Coast, an hour south, is Category 2.

Sources we checked