Long and short term accommodation in Australia

One of the first things that’ll be on your checklist after you’ve made the commitment to move to Australia is to physically pack up your life and move everything you need to… where? Suffice to say, if you’re going on holiday it’s possible to ‘wing it’ but if you’re moving for an indefinite period of time, winging it might not cut it. Especially when it comes to accommodation. This is when planning ahead can make things so much easier when you finally plant your excited feet on Australian soil.

The good news is that you have plenty of options to choose from when looking for a place to stay in Australia. At the top of most new residents’ lists (and a good way to introduce you to the city and give you time to decide where you’d like to permanently call home) is arrival or temporary accommodation. This includes hotels, hostels and other traveller options.

Other new arrivals prefer to look for short-term accommodation, such as a rental property or a share house. If you’re a student, you can look for somewhere to stay either on- or off-campus, while those in a more secure financial situation might prefer to look at signing a long-term lease or even buying a home.

Each accommodation option has its own benefits and will cater to a different type of new Australian – so if you’re wondering, “Which type of accommodation should I look for and how can I find it?” then read to find the right place for you.

Arrival accommodation

Arrival accommodation, as the name suggests, offers somewhere to stay when you first arrive in Australia. The aim is to find somewhere comfortable and convenient to call a ‘base’ until you find your feet. While staying in arrival accommodation you can look for work and somewhere more permanent to stay, or you could simply take the time to acclimatise to your new surrounds.

The exact type of arrival accommodation you select will largely be influenced by your taste and budget. For students, or for those with limited finances, a hostel might be the best option to begin with. Australia has an excellent range of hostels to choose from, especially in capital cities, with travellers able to choose from budget options or more premium digs.

Another option to consider is a hotel. Once again, there’s no shortage of options to choose from, though many hotels may be out of the reach for those with limited finances. If you’re looking for an alternative, motels and caravan parks usually offer cheaper rooms, while self-catered apartments and units are also available.

While it’s important to find somewhere you’ll be comfortable and that will meet your needs, remember that this is only temporary accommodation. You’ll soon be looking for somewhere more permanent to live.

How can I book arrival accommodation?

Booking arrival accommodation can be handled quickly and easily online. There are a large number of accommodation websites that let you to book hotels, hostels or apartments in Australia, including sites like Expedia, hotels.com, Hotels Combined, Airbnb and many more.

These accommodation sites are designed to be as simple as possible. All you have to do is search for available accommodation options on the dates you’re planning to stay in a certain destination. You’ll then be presented with a range of options, which you can browse and compare in order to find one that best matches your needs. You can book and pay for everything online with your credit card, thus ensuring you have somewhere to go as soon as you land in Australia.

Alternatively, you can look at homestay accommodation options. Browse the sites to see what arrival accommodation is available for you.

Short term accommodation

For many people moving to Australia, short-term accommodation offers the best solution when they first arrive. This can be a good way to settle into the Australian lifestyle and get to know the country and its people, while giving you time to adapt before you make any long-term or permanent decisions about where to live.

The first option you might want to look at is renting a property. From units and apartments to small or large houses, you can find rental properties to suit all sizes and budgets. Rental costs are obviously influenced by a number of factors, including the size of the residence, its location, its proximity to public transport, how old it is, and much more.

It’s also worth pointing out that the rental market in Australia is quite competitive, particularly in capital cities. In popular inner-city suburbs in major centres, you can expect to battle it out with plenty of other property hunters and also to pay more than you would otherwise expect.

If renting on your own is not a viable option, share-house living might be the best approach. Once again, there are typically a stack of share-house accommodation options to choose from, particularly in inner-city areas or places with high student populations. Of course, you obviously need to be willing to put up with all the highs and lows of sharing a house with strangers, which is sometimes be easier said than done.

Student accommodation

Those holding a student visa or are here for educational purposes have a number of options available to them. We think it pretty much goes without saying that student accommodation needs to be both affordable and accessible to your nominated educational institution.

With this in mind, your first option is pretty obviously on-campus accommodation. The vast majority of Australian universities offer on-campus accommodation options designed for students from overseas or rural-based areas. These options suit a variety of budgets and tastes (shared houses, catered accommodation in dorm rooms), with the added benefit of being located extremely close to, or even on, your place of study.

Another positive about on-campus accommodation is the opportunity it provides to develop relationships with other students and build a sense of community. With an emphasis on social activities as well as on education, living on-campus can be a great way to broaden your horizons.

If on-campus accommodation isn’t your cup of tea, off-campus living is also a valid option. You can reside in a homestay, which involves being placed with families in nearby homes, or choose to live in a privately owned student residence. Many unis run accommodation databases to help you find off-campus accommodation.

Finally, students can choose to rent a property independently rather than taking up student accommodation. For details on how to secure a rental property, read the above section on renting.

Long-term accommodation

Once you’ve been in Australia for a while and have decided where you would like to live, it’s time to start looking for a long-term accommodation solution. If you’re ready to settle down in a particular area, this is typically the most cost-effective option you can take.

For some, signing a long-term lease is optimal. This has the advantages of ensuring that you won’t be kicked out of your home while your lease is in force, and that you won’t have to struggle with the larger financial commitment of buying a home.

But if you’re ready to realise your dream of owning a home, you can start looking to buy a property. The Australian real estate market is quite competitive in some areas, particularly in the major capital cities, so you should be prepared for a lengthy house-hunting expedition. It’ll be worth it, however, once you’ve found that perfect apartment or house and can enjoy the freedom that comes with owning a home.

How to buy a house in Australia as a temporary resident

If you’re a temporary resident, you’ll need to jump through a number of hoops to buy property in Australia. To begin with, you must be granted permission from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) to purchase a property. To do this, you’ll need to apply to the board for approval, which can take up to 40 days.

If you’re a permanent resident however, you’ll find it much easier to buy property in Australia, and won’t require permission from the FIRB to purchase a home.

While you can exchange contracts before you’ve received FIRB approval, the contract is, of course, conditional on that approval being granted. Unfortunately, as auction bids can only be made without conditional clauses, this will prevent you from purchasing a property at auction.

Once contracts have been exchanged and a cooling-off period served, you’ll need to pay a deposit on your home. You’ll probably need to sort out a home loan as well, so it’s important that you’ve got records of your credit history and financial situation with you. Finding a mortgage with an Australian lender will generally be much easier than seeking financing from a lender back home. To increase your chances of being approved for a home loan, you’ll need to be earning a sufficient regular income to prove that you can manage your ongoing loan repayments. If you don’t have a steady stream of income, your chances of being approved for a loan are slim. Once again, permanent residents will find it much easier to obtain a loan than temporary residents.

In addition to your deposit and mortgage, you’ll need to remember that certain fees and taxes apply when buying a property in Australia. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect these costs to add up to roughly five per cent of the property’s value. You’ll need to contend with a Land Transfer Registration fee, legal fees, mortgage fees, local taxes and perhaps even insurance. Other costs can also be incurred via things like strata inspections or termite and pest inspections.

One final point to remember is that you’ll need to have any necessary visas and work permits before you can buy a home in Australia. Residence, temporary residence, migrations and visitors visas are all available, so make sure you have the necessary paperwork before you proceed.

Moving house and relocation checklist

It goes without saying that you should bring everything you need and leave everything you don’t (or can buy in Australia) at home. We’ll leave it up to your own discretion what you will bring and what you’ll leave behind, but here are some things to keep in mind before you relocate to Australia:

• Accommodation in your home country. If you’re currently renting or own property in your home country, you’ll need to sort out what to do with that accommodation. You might have to end your lease, sell your home, or rent your home out to someone while you’re away. Once you know what date you’ll be leaving on, you can start organising what will happen to your current accommodation.
• Long-term storage. If there are certain items you’re not bringing with you, consider putting them in long-term storage back home. Storage lockers and cages can be quite affordable to lease for long periods, so shop around for an option that’s affordable and secure.
• Shipping your personal effects. A large number of companies specialise in shipping your personal belongings overseas, including everything from a few bags to a whole shipping container of effects. Compare the services and prices of different companies before choosing one. Two companies that specialise in international relocation are World Baggage and Seven Seas Worldwide. If you’ve enlisted the help of a migration agent to help you relocate, they will also be able to provide advice on the best way to ship your personal effects. The best part? If you’ve organised your accommodation in Australia early, you can have your effects shipped direct to that address in time for your arrival.
• Customs taxes. If you want to ship used personal effects and household goods to Australia, you won’t have to pay custom duties or tax provided the items have been owned and used for at least 12-months. Items that have been owned and used for less than 12-months will be subject to taxes.
• Restricted or prohibited items. Any restricted or contraband items need to be declared to customs when you enter the country, at which point they may be confiscated. These items include drugs, weapons, and items that could harbour diseases that could harm our natural environment like wood and food. Australia has a strict customs policy, so before you pack and leave familiarise yourself with any restricted or prohibited items and leave them at home to avoid any hassle at the airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the meaning of short term accommodation?

  Short-term accommodation refers to temporary housing options that are typically rented out for a short duration, ranging from a few days to several months. This type of accommodation is often used by travellers, people moving to a new city, or those in between long-term housing arrangements. Examples include hotels, serviced apartments and Airbnb rentals.

• What defines a short-term rental?

  A short-term rental is a property that is rented out for a brief period, usually less than six months. These rentals are typically fully furnished and include utilities, catering to tourists, business travellers, or individuals needing temporary housing. Platforms like Airbnb, Stayz and Booking.com commonly offer short-term rental options.

• What is an example of a short term facility?

  An example of a short-term facility is a serviced apartment, which offers a fully furnished living space with amenities like housekeeping and utilities included. Other examples include hotels, hostels, and short-term rental properties available through platforms like Airbnb or Booking.com. These facilities cater to people needing temporary accommodation.

• What is another word for temporary accommodation?

  Another word for temporary accommodation is "transitional housing." This term is often used to describe short-term housing options that serve as a stopgap before moving to a more permanent residence. Other synonyms include "interim housing" and "short-term lodging."

• How short is a short term let?

  A short-term let typically refers to rental agreements lasting anywhere from a few days to six months. The exact length can vary depending on local regulations and the specific agreement between the landlord and tenant. These lets are popular for their flexibility, allowing for short stays without the commitment of a long-term lease.

Written by

Stephanie Yip

Editor

Stephanie Yip was the shopping editor at Finder. Previously she was Finder’s travel editor and before that was our lifestyle writer. She has been writing in the travel, shopping and lifestyle space for over 15 years. During her time at Finder she was featured in a number of publications including The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian Australia, Travel Weekly, Escape and KarryOn. Before joining Finder, her previous jobs include editor for kids' magazine DMAG and writer for Thomas Cook and Wizz Air's in-flight magazine. Stephanie previously studied a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. See full bio

Stephanie's expertise

Stephanie has written 12 Finder guides across topics including:

• Travel (flights, hotels, experiences)
• Shopping and lifestyle
• Seasonal sales events
• Money-saving tips