Living In Melbourne As An Expat On A Working Holiday Visa
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Living in Melbourne as an expat? Yay! Australia is one of the best countries in the world, and deciding to move to Melbourne is an excellent decision. Doing a working holiday visa and living in this beautiful country was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
In fact, Melbourne is known for being one of the happiest cities in the world, and it’s not hard to see why. Even after leaving Melbourne a few years ago, I still miss it. The people, the culture, the food, the nightlife, the music, the coffee – it’s somewhere you’ll fall in love with incredibly quickly.
If you’re travelling or backpacking Australia before deciding where to settle for your WHV (working holiday visa), it can be hard knowing where to base yourself.
Most expats and backpackers choose either Sydney or Melbourne (you’re either a Sydney or Melbourne person), but you can also look at living in Darwin, Brisbane, Airlie Beach or Cairnes.
In this post, I discuss everything you need to know about completing your working holiday visa in Melbourne. So, let’s get started!
Other Melbourne posts:
- 10 Fun Things To Do in Melbourne Solo (+ 20 Extras!)
- Best Places to Live in Melbourne as a Young Adult or Expat
Living in Melbourne as an Expat: A Summary
What is life like in Melbourne? If you’re new to Australia and are doing a working holiday visa, you may be looking at where you want to live. There’s the all-important question of ‘will I live in Sydney or Melbourne?!’ and the process of settling into a brand new city. How exciting!
Living in Melbourne as an expat is amazing. In fact, it was one of the best years of my life. Not only was I accepted by locals and felt at home within a few days of arriving, but I was able to experience Australian cultures, make new friends, tick off some bucket-list activities, eat foods from around the world, have beach Sundays, brunch on rooftops and more.
Living in Melbourne as an expat is one of the best things you can do if you’re visiting on a working holiday visa. Why? And how does it work? That’s what I’ve written this post for. If you’re not sure what life is like in Melbourne once you’ve read all 6500 words in this blog post, I will personally answer your questions one to one. That’s how confident I am it covers everything!
And if this post does help you and your move to Australia, let me know over on Instagram. There’s nothing quite as rewarding as hearing that my hours of work have actually helped you one one of the biggest adventures of your lifetime!
Where to stay if you’re visiting Melbourne for the first time
There are plenty of hotels, apartments and hostels to choose from if you are visiting Melbourne for the first time. After living there for 12 months, we found some of the best places to stay to be the following:
- For backpackers and young adults visiting for fun: Nomads (formally Base Backpackers)
- For backpackers who are also working whilst in Melbourne: Space Hotel (a hostel in the CBD)
- For couples and groups in the CBD: The Fawkner Apartments
- For couples in St Kilda: Blessington Street Studio Apartments
Where is Melbourne?
Melbourne is situated on the Southern-East Coastline of Australia, in the state of Victoria. Australia is divided into 5 states (Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory). Australia is in the continent of Oceania.
Melbourne and Sydney are the most densely populated cities, with around 5 million people in each. Melbourne is an 8-hour drive from Sydney, which is situated to its north, and an 8-hour drive from Adelaide, which is situated to its west.
The Melbourne international airport is around one hour from the CBD (the Central Business District). You can book a bus or private shuttle from the airport to your accommodation here.
Melbourne is close to some of Australia’s biggest attractions. With Tasmania just an hour’s ferry away, Philip Island close enough for a day trip and the Great Ocean Road close enough for a road trip, it’s the ideal city to base yourself on when doing your working holiday visa!
Related post: 10 Fun Things To Do in Melbourne Solo (+ 20 Extras!)
Getting around Melbourne
You can travel around Melbourne in multiple ways. Depending on how much time you have, your budget and where you want to visit, the easiest ways to travel around Melbourne are by rental car, tram, train or bus.
Tram is the most popular way to get around Melbourne. Public transport in Melbourne is quick, easy and reliable. But, like any other city, you can get around on foot, bike, tram, train or bus.
🚋 TRAM: Trams are the main way of getting around Melbourne.
If you have a Myki card, your travel will be capped per day (meaning you will not spend over a certain price). You can buy your Myki card in any 7-11 convenience store.
🚃 TRAINS: The main train stations in Melbourne are Flinders Street and Southern Cross.
Flinders Street is similar to Kings Cross, and Southern Cross of Liverpool Street station, due to location and size. Both have train lines going into the suburbs and are reliable ways to get to work out of the city.
🚴 CYCLING: There are bikes for hire all over the city, which are really similar to London’s Santander (Boris) bikes.
Download an app and you can hire and drop off cycles at designated points.
🚕 TAXI: Uber is widely available in Melbourne.
✈️ Getting to the airport can either be done via Uber or the ‘Skybus’ which has multiple pick-up and drop-off locations. This costs about $20 return and takes about an hour from St Kilda. You can book buses around Australia here.
Weather and seasons in Melbourne
Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasonal months are the exact opposite of the UK. For example:
☀️ Melbourne summer: UK winter (December, January, February)
❄️ Melbourne winter: UK summer (June, July, August)
August in Melbourne is cold. We were wearing puffa coats, woolly hats and scarves. They even have a ‘Christmas in July’ event because of the cold weather!
Their summer begins in December and lasts until February, and there are several hot days (40°C+), with the average being around 30°C. Luckily, you won’t get the intense humidity of being in Queensland or the Northern Territory in Melbourne, and there’s usually a light breeze.
The daylight hours are long hours of light during summer, and dark by 5 pm in the winter.
🇦🇺 TOP TIP: The weather in Melbourne can change quickly. They’re often noted to say that Melbourne can have all four seasons in one day – which I can confirm, is true!
Visas and entry requirements for Australia
If you are planning on living and working in Australia, you will need an WHV (a working holiday visa). To apply for this visa, visit the Australian Government official website and apply for a ‘First Working Holiday visa – subclass 417’. Just make sure you apply early on, as they can up to 6 months to process.
The working holiday visa costs approximately £300, and lasts exactly 12 months. You can apply for a 30-day extension in Australia, but there is a lengthy process and a requirement to explain why.
The visa allows you to earn money in any job sector for 12 months. You can also travel around the country and leave the country as many times as you like, but your visa will end exactly 12 months from your entry date.
🧑🏼🌾 If you want to extend your 12-month WHV, at this present time, you still need to do your farm work. ‘Farm work’ consists of 13 gruelling (or kind of fun) weeks of working in a remote, rural area to gain a second-year visa.
I didn’t choose to do this, but I have many friends who did. Some loved it, made amazing friends, partied, and earned good money. Some hated it and quit after three days.
When you finish your farm work, you get an ABN number. This is used as evidence in the tourism office, which can sometimes be investigated. Many people try and forge a passable ABN number, and it rarely works. This would mean sending wage slips and other forms of evidence to support your application, but you’ll likely be caught out.
If you’re visiting Melbourne for under 3 months, you need to apply for a tourist visa. The processing time for this is shorter and should be with you within a week. Note that you cannot work in any form on a tourist visa.
Best areas to live in Melbourne
If you are looking to complete your working holiday visa in Melbourne, start off by staying in hostels and hotels. This will help you to get a feel for the different areas and decide where you would like to live.
Some of the most popular areas for expats and backpackers doing their working holiday visa includes St Kilda, Brunswick, the CBD, Prahran, Richmond, Wimbledon, Carlton, Balaclava and Fitzroy.
Most British expats settle in St Kilda. You can expect to make a lot of English, Scottish and Irish friends if you live in this area! For us, St Kilda was perfect. It was a good base for work, has a beach, and nightlife, it’s close to Chapel Street and the CBD, and was where all of our friends lived.
Again, deciding where you’re going to live in Melbourne will be personal. If you’re not sure about the different areas in Melbourne, check out my full neighbourhood guide here.
Finding a place to live in Melbourne as an expat or backpacker
Finding a place to live in Melbourne isn’t easy, but it is possible. Unfortunately, due to the surge of tourists flocking to Australia post-2020, finding housing is a lot more difficult than it was a few years ago.
There are a few ways to look for accommodation when in Melbourne. We actually found out flat on Facebook. But this can be risky – never pay anyone upfront when you haven’t met them or seen the flat.
But Facebook is a great way to find a flat in Melbourne. There are so many Melbourne Facebook groups that you can join, with regular adverts of rooms, flats, and even jobs. Fairy Floss is one of the best Facebook groups for finding a place to live in Melbourne.
You can also go directly with estate agents, but the process is longer and more official. This can be a lot of effort when you know you’re only going to be in Melbourne for a short time and may need to leave at any given point.
Flatmates.com is an alternative way to find somewhere to live. It’s exactly like Spareroom.com in London, and is a good way to find other people to live with. Again, this will have photos and you can contact the landlord or renter to set up a viewing.
🏠 Need help finding somewhere to live in Melbourne? I’ve written a whole guide here: Best Places to Live in Melbourne as a Young Adult or Expat.
Volunteering or house-sitting in Australia
The most budget-friendly options for staying in Melbourne on a budget include either volunteering or pet-sitting. Both of these options will give you free accommodation in return for your services. So, how do you find these opportunities?
🥕 Volunteering: Use Worldpackers. They’re a trusted site with volunteering opportunities all over the world. You can choose the job you do, how long for and how many hours you work per day. Check out Worldpackers opportunities here! (Plus my link gets you $10 off your membership!)
🐈 House or pet-sitting: Use Trusted Housesitters. We have used this company all over the world in exchange for free accommodation. Use the website to find a suitable house sit for you (dogs, cats, lizards, chickens), set the dates you’ll be there and how long for, and apply for a sit!
Cost of living in Melbourne
Depending on where you come from in the UK or the world, the cost of living in Melbourne may either be higher or lower than expected. As I’ve always lived in London, Melbourne’s costs of living were not too dissimilar. Here are some average prices, costs and wages you can expect in Melbourne, Australia.
💰 TOP TIP: In 2023, the 1 AUD is equivalent to 54p (GBP). When converting, the Australian dollar is roughly double the amount of a British pound. For example, 10 AUD = 5 GBP.
Wages in Melbourne
The average salary for jobs in Melbourne is 86,013 AUD per year or an hourly rate of 41 AUD. Per month, the average wage is roughly 5,500 AUD per month after tax.
Regardless of the job you do, wages are high in Melbourne. A job in a bar or restaurant will still pay around 25 AUD an hour which is a lot higher than the waitressing wages in London!
If you become a ‘tradie‘ (a popular option for those who want to work in construction) you can earn around 40-50 AUD an hour, or 70,000 to $80,000 AUD per year.
As a qualified teacher, I was earning on average 300 AUD a day (£160). The average salary for a teacher is 83,149 AUD per year in Melbourne.
Rent costs in Melbourne
The average cost for a one-bedroom flat in Melbourne City Centre is 1985 AUD per month (according to Muval.com).
My best friend and I shared a room in St Kilda. We shared with six other expats, in a reasonably sized flat in a really good location. It cost us 600 AUD a week (£300), so in total 2400 AUD per month (£1200). This was a lot cheaper than living in London!
Hostels are pricier in Oceania than in Central America, but you get what you pay for. The majority are clean, modern, and have good locations. The average hostel price is around 30 AUD+ a night.
Grocery costs in Melbourne
According to Muval.com, and in personal experience, groceries in Melbourne cost around 100-115 AUD per person, per week. This is a total of 430 AUD per month.
Grocery costs in Melbourne are not too dissimilar to England. The most popular supermarkets are Woolworths and Coles, with Coles being slightly cheaper. Some items in Australian supermarkets may cause a bit of a surprise – with chicken breasts, broccoli and lettuce being a lot more expensive than in the UK!
Nightlife costs in Melbourne
According to Ask Melbourne, a night out in Melbourne is slightly cheaper than a night in Sydney. Of course, the cost of your night depends on many factors (whether you’re eating or drinking, where you go, how long you are out for and so on).
In general, the CBD is the most expensive place in Melbourne for a night out. As we lived in St Kilda, we tended to stay in the local area or party on Chapel Street. To save money, we would pre-drink and eat at home. An on-tap pint in Melbourne can be as expensive as 16 AUD per beer, and a cocktail can cost up to 25 AUD!
Gym costs in Melbourne
At an average price of 80 AUD per month, you’ll get access to all equipment, classes, and facilities of most gyms in Melbourne.
If you’re living in St Kilda, I recommend signing up for Fitness First. They have short-term and easily cancellable memberships for backpackers and expats.
Finding a job in Melbourne as an expat or backpacker
Even if you don’t have a specific trade or skill, you can find work in Melbourne on your working holiday visa (WHV). As I previously mentioned, the number of backpackers and expats doing their WHV has spiked – so it can be difficult to find a job.
Unfortunately, if you move to Melbourne in the summer months (Dec-Feb), it’s going to be hard to find a job, due to the sheer number of those looking for one. If you are planning on moving to Melbourne at this time, I highly recommend looking for a job before you arrive or checking out remote and digital nomad options.
To find in-person work, use Indeed or Facebook groups. Facebook groups are hugely popular with backpackers and those on WHVs in Melbourne.
Want to become a digital nomad? You can download my free ebook on how to get started here, or earn an instant monthly income with online tutoring here. This may help to tide you over financially whilst you are looking for an in-person job in Melbourne.
🍷 TOP TIP: If you want to work in a bar or restaurant in Melbourne (anywhere that serves alcohol), you will need an RSA. Read the next section to find out what this is.
Working with alcohol in bars or restaurants in Melbourne on a WHV
If you want to work with alcohol or in a restaurant that serves alcohol, you will have to complete an RSA course. It is against the law for you to work in a venue without an RSA in all of Australia.
RSAs are easy but time-consuming to obtain. You will need to book your course and join a six-eight hour workshop in-person in the state where you would like to work.
It’s important to note that an RSA qualification is only valid in the state where you have completed the course. If you complete the RSA course in Victoria (Melbourne), you cannot work in New South Wales (Sydney), until you have completed another RSA course in that specific state. An RSA lasts for up to 3 years.
Once I had my RSA, I picked up cash in hand for waitressing and bartending jobs through Facebook. This was an easy extra $100 pocket money, on top of my teaching job.
Related post: How To Earn A Consistent Monthly Income As A Digital Nomad 💻
Working as a tradie in Melbourne on a WHV
A tradie (tradesman) is a manual labour job in construction. Anyone with a WHV can apply to be a tradie in Melbourne or across Australia. Becoming a tradie in Australia is known as one of the most ‘sought after’ jobs in the country, as they are some of the top earners when it comes to wages.
If you would like to become a tradie in Melbourne, you will need to apply for a White Card. Note that you cannot work in this sector without one. As construction jobs are regulated in Australia, The White Card ensures that workers are familiar with the safety aspects of the job, and know policies such as health and security.
To get a White Card, you will need to complete either an in-person or online course. This course is a full day, and once finished, the White Card can be used all over the country, and does not expire. However, if you do not work in construction for two years, you will need to retake the course.
Teaching in Melbourne in Melbourne on a WHV
If you are a qualified teacher, working as a supply teacher (or casual relief teacher) whilst in the country is an excellent, high-paying option.
⚠️ Note to become a teacher in Australia, you need to have a four-year university degree qualification. This could include a three-year degree and a PGCE year. You cannot teach in Australia with just a three-year degree, regardless of what your degree is in and how many years you have been teaching.
Each state in Australia requires a valid teaching license. You need to apply for a teaching license for the state you will be teaching in. For example, I wanted to work in Melbourne, so I had to apply for a licence to work in the State of Victoria. This took nearly 4 months to complete, so make sure you apply early!
Supply teachers in Australia also get paid really well. They’re called CRTs (casual relief teachers) and are in high demand all over the country. I did this for 12 months whilst travelling all over Asia, New Zealand and Australia. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I highly recommend it to any qualified teachers.
I was able to book in for days when I wanted and have a few weeks off if I was travelling (without having to explain it to anyone).
Personally, this was the best option for me, as I didn’t want to be tied down to a school! But, there are also long-term opportunities in Australia if that’s what you’re looking for.
BEST CRT COMPANIES IN MELBOURNE:
- ANZUK
- The Melbourne Teaching Company
- Standby Teaching
- The Teaching Initiative
Related post: How To Earn A Consistent Monthly Income As A Online Teacher 👩🏼🏫
Making friends whilst living in Melbourne
If you are moving to Melbourne and would like to make new friends, there are a few different things to try out. But before I delve into this, I just want to clarify something.
Making friends in a new country isn’t as easy as you see on social media. If you are finding it hard to meet people, it’s normal. Don’t beat yourself up because someone on social media found a whole new friendship group within a few days of moving. More than likely, there are a lot of layers to their situation, and it wasn’t as easy as it looks.
If it’s taking a little longer to find a group of friends, that’s ok! Don’t put pressure on yourself, and let it happen naturally. If you’re naturally a little introverted like me, it can be tougher than finding friends as an extrovert. But I promise, it can be done. I left Melbourne with more friends than I can count, most of them I still keep in contact with today.
So, if you want to make friends in Melbourne, do some of the following options to increase your chances of making friends in a new city.
👯♀️ Do a group tour. One of the best (and my highest recommended) ways to meet people and make friends in a new city is to do a group tour. We booked a tour with Intro Travel, and even though it was in Sydney, many of our friends then moved to Melbourne. Thirteen of us from the group tour even travelled the Australian East Coast together! It’s an amazing way to make life-long friends.
💻 Facebook groups. There are many Facebook groups for expats, backpackers and tourists in a new city, and in this case – Melbourne.
🛌 Hostels. Even if you don’t stay in hostels for long, they’re a great way to initially meet people in a new city.
🎾 Join a club! Melbourne has hundreds of clubs to join, from tennis to football, book clubs to wine nights – this is a great way to make friends.
🚶🏼♀️Do a walking tour. Walking tours in Melbourne are free, and you walk around with the same people for a few hours, so it’s easy to make friends.
🏟️ Book a day tour. This is another great form of organised fun that allows you to meet new people. You can check out amazing bucket-list Melbourne tours here!
Best things to do whilst living in Melbourne
Whilst living and working in Melbourne, there are plenty of things to keep you busy. From walking through parks, to spotting penguins, eating dinner at a rooftop bar or watching a comedy show, it’s one of the best cities in the world to keep you entertained.
Here are some of the best things to do in Melbourne when you first visit:
- Visit the Shrine of Remembrance (CBD)
- Take a walk down graffiti lane (Hosier Lane, CBD)
- Party on Chapel Street
- Have a 12 hour night in Revolver (Chapel Street)
- BBQ on the beach in St Kilda
- Dance at St Kilda Festival (held every February)
- Stroll around the Royal Botanical Gardens
- See the penguins at sunset (St Kilda)
- Eat food at the Victoria Night Market
- Shop down Bourke Street (CBD)
- Eat a pie from 7/11
- Have a cake on Acland Street (St Kilda)
- Visit Melbourne Zoo
- Eat a parma, anywhere
- Have a day in the National Gallery
- Watch a comedy gig (CBD)
- Drink coffee on Brunswick Street
- Stay at Base Backpackers and take part in Boozy Bingo (St Kilda)
- Walk through Albert Park
- Have cocktails in The Arbory (CBD)
- Become an expat ‘local’ in Lona (St Kilda)
- Eat a traditional Sunday roast in The Fifth (St Kilda)
- Have beachside drinks at The Espy (St Kilda)
- Party all night long in Veludos (St Kilda)
- Be in awe of the architecture of Melbourne Library (CBD)
Related post: 10 Fun Things To Do in Melbourne Solo (+ 20 Extras!)
Bucket list tours to do in Melbourne
Looking to book a tour in Melbourne? Tours are one of the best ways to see the hidden gems of the country you are visiting. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!
When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else!
Some of the best tours in Melbourne include:
- Great Ocean Road + Wildlife Tour: check prices now!
- Penguin + Koala Bear Tour: check prices now!
- Watch a Melbourne AFL Game: check prices now!
- Yarra Valley Vineyard: Chocolate, Wine and Gin Tour!: check prices now!
➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!
Day or weekend trips from Melbourne
There are so many day or weekend trips if you’re living in Melbourne as an expat or backpacker. These are some of the best:
- The Great Ocean Road: Driving along the Great Ocean Road is one of the most beautiful and memorable coastal drives, and can be done easily from Melbourne. Either hire a van or car, set up your Sat Nav, and plan a few route stops. We spent 2 days (1-night camping) on the Great Ocean Road and found this to be a perfect amount of time. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Mornington Peninsula: About an hour from Melbourne city centre, the peninsula is a well-known holiday destination for locals. A small coastal town that is a perfect beach getaway. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Wilson’s Promontory National Park: (Known as Wilson’s Prom). The southernmost tip of mainland Australia, Wilson’s Prom has bushland trails and pristine beaches. Spot wild wombats, emus, and kangaroos and pitch up a tent at one of the local campsites. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Phillip Island: If you like penguins, a trip to Phillip Island is a must. A short journey from Melbourne, the island attracts visitors due to its Australian wildlife and the Penguin Parade (which is lots of penguins arriving at the beach during sunset). ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Mount Buller: Around 3 hours from Melbourne, Mt Buller is one of Victoria’s most popular snow resorts. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Yarra Valley: If you like wine, visiting the Yarra Valley gives you the chance to taste some of the best in the country, just 30 minutes away. The vineyards here are known for making Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wine. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
Beaches in Melbourne
Melbourne isn’t known for its beaches like Sydney, but, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any worth visiting. You can still enjoy a sunny beach day in Melbourne.
Melbourne is situated on the edge of Port Phillip Bay. The waves can be quite choppy, and we found most beaches to be windy, even on the peak summer days. You are able to swim in the sea on all of the beaches in Melbourne, and most have water sport activities available (especially windsurfing).
The most well-known beach for backpackers is St Kilda, as its large and sandy, and also hosts many events and festivals. It also has beach bars and restaurants along its edge (although they’re quite expensive).
For a pretty aesthetically pleasing beach, head to Brighton. With hundreds of multi-coloured beach huts, it’s one of Melbourne’s most popular beaches.
If you’re up for driving further out of town for a beach, Mornington Peninsula is known for its beaches and is an Australian holiday destination.
🎅🏽 TOP TIP: In Melbourne for Christmas? Head to Brighton Beach for a crazy beach party! Expect DJs, dancefloors, BBQs and partying until the early hours. It’s without doubt, the best place to be in Melbourne on Christmas day.
Where to party in Melbourne as a backpacker
Melbourne nightlife is wild, and most venues open until the early hours of the morning. There are plenty of areas in Melbourne to party, and these were some of our favourites.
Chapel Street
Chapel Street is one of the most popular areas to go out, whether you’re an expat or a local. Just under 5km in length, the street consists of bars, restaurants, clubs, clothes stores, and fast-food venues.
If you’re a big partier, don’t miss out on a visit to Revolver Upstairs on Chapel Street. It’s a dark, smoky floor filled with eclectic props and old-fashioned furniture, playing house, techno, electro, and everything in between. With live DJs every night, until the early hours of the morning, Revolver is one of Australia’s most famous nightclubs.
Lucky Coq is a good starting point before heading to Revolver at 3 am, as they have a big dance floor and is spread out across two floors.
Jungle Boy, Bridie O’Reillys, Imperial, Temperance Hotel, Poof Doof, and Pawn & Co are all also fun for big nights out on Chapel Street.
College Lawn is great on Chapel Street for a sunny day as it has a big beer garden.
St Kilda
St Kilda has live music venues as well as late-night clubs. It’s known for being one of the best places to party if you’re living in Melbourne as an expat.
Acland Street is home to Veludos, a sticky-floor, loud music venue, as well as Village Bell, which sometimes even has a live sax player. The Vineyard hosts its own events and parties, and tickets are usually between 5-10 AUD.
We loved Lona, which became our ‘local’, as so many expats and backpackers drank here. If you want live music, Jimmy O’Neills and The Fifth are traditional Irish pubs with local singers and artists performing nightly.
There are a few fun beach clubs on St Kilda Beach, but they’re not in a backpacker budget. These again usually have resident DJs and dance floors, although they are a bit pricier than the clubs and bars on Acland Street.
☘️ TOP TIP: In St Kilda for St Patrick’s Day? You’re in for a treat! Expect loud street parties, late night opening hours, live music and of course, crazy parties in the Irish pubs!
The CBD (Central Business District)
The CBD has its own nightlife scene. It’s not as laid back as St Kilda or Chapel street, and will be more expensive to drink than anywhere else in Melbourne.
Check out The Arbory for river drinks and DJs, The Library for late-night dancing, Union Electric for rooftop drinking, the Garden State Hotel for Insta-perfect photos, or the Asian Beer Cafe for cheap beer.
Living in Melbourne as an Expat on a Working Holiday Visa: FAQs
1) Melbourne or Sydney?
This will really depend on what kind of person you are. I can’t tell you whether you will prefer Melbourne or Sydney, but I do know that most people are either one or the other.
Sydney is great. It’s a fast-paced, cosmopolitan city with tall buildings and has a strong business and corporate vibe. It’s similar to the City of London, with tall skyscrapers, glamourous rooftop bars and high-end shopping malls.
⚠️ Sydney has strict alcohol rules. Most venues close their doors at 1am. Bars are prohibited from selling shots past 12am.
Then there’s Melbourne. Known for its laid-back way of life, live music, art scene, quirky coffee shops, vintage markets, and crazy party scene. Melbourne is more similar to East London than the City of London (which I compared to Sydney).
Melbourne, unlike Sydney, does not have late-night rules on alcohol. In fact, some venues like Revolver are open 24 hours a day, for four nights a week. There’s no ‘home time’ in Melbourne!
Both cities in Australia are different and have different things to offer. If you’re new to Australia, I recommend visiting them both before deciding where to live. You will instantly get a feel for which one feels more like ‘home’ (I know I definitely did), and your decision will be made for you. (#teammelbourne for life).
2) Do I get free medical care living in Australia?
Yes! Living in Melbourne as an expat you need to apply for Medicare. Medical treatment in Australia is great. It’s quick, easy and you can always get an appointment. I used the doctors on Acland Street quite a few times when I lived in Melbourne.
3) Is my UK driving license valid in Melbourne?
Yes, there is no need to apply for anything extra if you want to drive a car in Melbourne. As long your driving license in English, it’s accepted in Australia.
If you’re looking to hire a car in Australia, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Australia now!
4) What is the equivalent of Boots/Superdrug in Melbourne?
Chemist Warehouse – which will be on every street corner -, or Superdrug itself. This is exactly the same as the English Superdrug, so you can buy all of your normal health and beauty products.
5) What is the food like in Melbourne?
Food in Melbourne is similar to the UK. You can get food from all over the world in fancy restaurants, street food vendors, and markets. Make sure to try kangeroo and crocodile whilst you’re in the country!
6) What is a 7-11?
A 7-11 is the equivalent of Londis or Costcutter in the UK, and is a regular convenience store. It sells everything from hot counter pies to snacks, drinks and toiletries. You can find 7-11’s all over Melbourne.
7) What are supermarkets like in Melbourne?
Coles and Woolworths are the biggest supermarkets in Australia, and stock the same foods as the UK. Alcohol is not stocked on the shelves in Australia like in the UK. Most supermarkets will have an attached ‘bottle shop’ where you can buy your drink separately.
8) What is ‘goon’?
Goon is cheap, boxed wine. It’s a typical drink for backpackers as it is inexpensive and easy to buy (just be warned, it doesn’t taste great). You can get 5 litres of wine for under 10 AUD! Goon is sold in any bottle shop.
9) Do I need a car to travel around Australia?
This is down to personal preference. We found Australia easy enough to travel around via buses, trains and even flying, but our favourite mode of transport was hiring a car.
You can hire a car and drive around the entire country at your own pace. Driving in Australia is safe and straightforward. Some of the main towns and cities are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
If you’re looking to hire a car in Australia, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Australia now!
10) Do I need a SIM card to travel around Oceania?
Yes, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive in either Australia or New Zealand.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
Package holidays to Melbourne and Australia
One of the best budget ways to visit Australia is via a package holiday. This is an amazing way to see the country without breaking the bank!
What does a package holiday to Australia include? The package holidays will include both flights and accommodation. They’re also all ATOL protected, and you can book with a simple low deposit, spreading the total cost of the holiday across a period of time.
➡ You can look at incredible package holidays to Australia here!
Living in Melbourne as an Expat: In A Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about living in Melbourne as an expat on a working holiday visa. When you’re planning a trip to Australia, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Australian content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
🇦🇺 🦘Where to next?
- 10 Fun Things To Do in Melbourne Solo (+ 20 Extras!)
- Best Places to Live in Melbourne as a Young Adult or Expat
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
