Explore Australia on a budget! Learn how to save money on flights, accommodation, food, and activities — all while having an adventure of a lifetime.
Australia, with its diverse landscapes, vibrant cities, and unique wildlife, is a dream destination for many travellers. However, the Land Down Under is known for its relatively higher cost of living, making it crucial to plan your journey wisely so you do not overspend. But don’t you worry, mate! We got your back. Whether you arrive in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne or somewhere in the vast outback, we’ll help you steer clear of these rookie mistakes and navigate as the locals do without feeling like you’re on a budget. Here are our top 11 ways to save money while visiting Australia, ensuring an unforgettable adventure without breaking the bank.
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🇦🇺 11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia:
1. Travel During Off-Peak Seasons

Image credits: Pexels
Peak travel season normally happens during the southern hemisphere’s summer. Making December to February travelling to and around Australia the most expensive. The influx of visitors during this period lead to exorbitant prices for accommodations, tours, and even fuel. Moreover, these months are characterised by scorching summer temperatures, making extensive day trips in 35-degree weather quite challenging, especially for those unaccustomed to such heat. Even the locals steer clear of popular destinations like Noosa Heads, Byron Bay, and Airlie Beach unless they’ve secured bookings well in advance.
Instead, you can plan your travels during the shoulder seasons of spring (September to November) or autumn (March to May). These periods offer increased chances of securing good deals on accommodations, domestic flights, and even guided tours. As hotels and Airbnbs utilise dynamic pricing, these low-traffic months provide the best chances of obtaining a room at a more affordable rate. Of course, this applies to available seats on domestic flights and tour buses as well so you can expect your airplane tickets and some bus fares to be cheaper.
Additionally, exploring during these seasons presents an excellent opportunity to partake in unique seasonal festivals such as Tasmania’s winter solstice celebration, Dark Mofo, or engaging in cherry-picking activities in Victoria’s Yarra Valley.
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out our guide on top 10 things to do in Austrlia
2. Choose The Cheapest City To Fly Into & Use Budget Domestic Flights

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While Sydney is commonly regarded as Australia’s primary gateway, it’s not the cheapest international airport in the country. Opting to fly directly into Melbourne, Brisbane, or Perth might result in substantial savings. Surprisingly, domestic airfares within Australia are quite budget-friendly, though it’s crucial to be mindful of one’s environmental impact. One-way flights between Melbourne and Sydney, for instance, can be obtained for as low as S$79 at the time of writing. Flying with Australia’s budget airlines, such as Bonza or Jetstar, often provide a slightly more comfortable level of service and more inclusive features compared to other low-cost carriers.
One other option would be getting a flight package from Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier. Take advantage of their frequent offerings of travel packages that include airfare, accommodations, and car rentals. You can even plan your travels within Australia with their multi-city planner tool!
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out our guide to the best National Parks in Australia for great outdoor adventures
3. Get Around In A Campervan Or RV

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Australia is HUGE! With its vast expense, driving is a common and integral part of daily life, and the only way to truly experience Australia is by car. To explore efficiently, consider renting a campervan instead of a conventional car rental. Campervans offer a budget-friendly accommodation-on-wheels solution, with nightly fees at caravan parks averaging around S$28+ for unpowered sites and S$35+ for powered sites. Depending on your plan, renting a campervan might also be more economical than all the train and bus fares required if you were to opt to take public transport.
There are also free campsites scattered throughout the country that provide an authentic, off-the-beaten-path experience. These spots can be discovered using apps such as WikiCamps Australia and CamperMate. It’s important to note that some of these sites may have minimal amenities, with no access to facilities like toilets and access to clean water.
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out campsites in Australia here

Image credits: Unsplash
Campervan rental costs typically cost around S$60+ per day, depending on the model chosen. Platforms like Camplify, often dubbed the Airbnb for motorhomes and vans, feature a section with options under S$100+, making it convenient to find your accommodation on wheels within budget. Jucy Rentals is another viable choice, particularly suitable for road trippers with a tighter budget. Some of these campervans include a kitchen and a toilet, perfect for a holistic experience while on the road!
While you get substantial savings on accommodation, it’s important to factor in the cost of petrol as well. Prices may vary, and the prices are relatively high in Australia — as of the close of 2023, a litre of fuel ranged between S$1.62 to S$2.08.
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Travelling with your family? Check out this perfect family-friendly road trip guide in Australia
4. Try RV Campervan Relocation

Image credits: Minimalist Journeys
If renting a campervan is still out of your budget, you can try to get relocation deals where RV companies let you rent their vehicles for cheap as you help drive the vehicle from one place to another. This usually occurs when rental companies need their vehicles for paying customers who have rented the motorhomes at full price like the suggestion above but may not have enough in one location hence they need available vehicles from the same company from neighbouring cities.
Here, you get to use a campervan for much cheaper as you’re helping the motorhome company. However, unlike the previous option, you can only use a limited time as instructed by the company. As such, you will not have the same flexibility to change plans or routes as compared to renting a campervan or RV completely.
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Find out more here
5. Ride-Sharing Or Carpooling

Image credits: Ridesharing in Australia – The Backpackers Guide
Similar to relocation, if renting a car is too expensive for you, you can consider ride-sharing. Ride-sharing is rather popular in Australia as there are always tons of backpackers and locals moving up and down the coast. Usually, the driver of the car will offer seats to passengers going towards the same destination for a small sum of money. It’s a faster transport alternative to public transport and a more economical choice than renting an entire vehicle alone.
If you’ve rented your own car, you can offer to put your seats up for ridesharing to get back some money fuel. Alternatively, you can also look for people offering these seats for carpooling and ridesharing. When you carpool, make sure to align plans and itineraries for all the passengers. This way your journey will be much more efficient and cost-effective. Not to mention, hitching a ride with fellow travellers or friendly locals is bound to enrich your trip even more! Definitely way cooler than just taking the Greyhound bus.
Where to find carpooling and ridesharing:
- Hostel Bulletins
- Facebook groups for backpackers
- Gumtree
- Coseats
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out coseats.com for more
6. Cook Your Own Meals

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Australia may not be the most budget-friendly country for dining out, especially when compared to Singapore. If you find yourself on a tighter holiday budget, consider preparing some of your own meals. A few home-cooked meals can be a money-saving strategy. Even without access to a kitchen, a quick grocery shop can provide essentials for easy and inexpensive options like sandwiches, wraps, pasta, noodles, and salads. Take advantage of free alfresco BBQ areas in public parks and beaches for a quintessential Aussie sausage cookout. Just be aware that drinking in public is only legal in designated areas, check first before downing your alcoholic beverages.
Major supermarkets like IGA, Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi are common, but local farmers markets and fruit shops often offer excellent value and fresh produce for you to stock up on food for your trip!
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out our exotic food guide in Australia
7. Save Supermarket Receipts

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As you grocery shop to cook your own meals, remember to save the receipts for supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths. Why? Because both of these stores also own chains of bottle shops and partner with fuel stations.
Almost every receipt with at least $30 spent, gets you a small discount voucher for their requisite fuel or liqueur supplier, so it’s well worth holding onto them to grab yourself a deal. Currently, the supermarkets are offering 4 cents off every litre of fuel if you spend more than $30 with them. So if you’re driving your car or campervan, this is something to remember!
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Find out more here
8. Budget-Friendly Dining

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We get it, you might not want to fix your own meal. Fret not! While Australia’s major cities boast an array of top-notch restaurants, they can be a strain on the wallets of budget-conscious travellers. Instead, consider exploring the vibrant markets nestled in laneways, parks, and historical sites. Indulge in street food delights such as Thai and Greek cuisine at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market or venture into Sydney’s Chinatown night markets on Fridays, where dishes start at a mere S$6.
You can also look out for food trucks which are ubiquitous across the country. For example, in Darwin, Parap Village Markets serves some of the finest laksa in Australia. Meanwhile, Sydney and Brisbane offer a diverse range, from Texas BBQ to Filipino fare.
Explore the local pubs for a classic Aussie meal. Daily specials like a S$12 chicken parmigiana or a S$10 beef burger with fries are common food. Menu prices include tax and tipping is not required.
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out this 7-day Melbourne itinerary
9. Discover Australia’s Free Attractions

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Australia’s true gems are found outdoors, from enchanting beaches to coastal walks and mountain trails. With over 600 national parks, the majority offer free exploration, with only a few charging entrance fees.

Image credits: Australian Museum
Other than that, the country boasts numerous free museums and attractions, such as Sydney’s Australian Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria. Some may suggest voluntary donations or offer free entry during specific hours, often detailed on their websites.
Participating in a complimentary walking tour is another option, providing insights into local history and landmarks. Cities like Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne offer engaging tours, typically operating on a tips basis or “pay what you think it’s worth.” While advertised as “free,” guides generally anticipate a financial contribution.
If you face difficulty finding tours online, consider seeking help at information centres, or approaching the booking desk at the location or concierge at your accommodation. There’s no need to worry on this front as Australia has a dearth of free activities and attractions.
Pro-trip: Get up to 5% cashback on your activities via Klook on YouTrip Perks for more savings!
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Check out some free things to do in Sydney here
10. Consider A Farm Stay

Image credits: Booking.com
The trend of rural farm stays is gaining traction amongst travellers to Australia. Whether your visit spans a month or a weekend escape, consider booking a tiny house on a cattle station or bedding down in a stylishly converted shearing shed. Sometimes, these accommodations can prove more economical than traditional hotels and often include breakfast. What sets farmstays apart is their dual role as a free attraction for the entire family, with many encouraging guests to interact with horses and feed the resident cows and animals.
To discover these unique stays, use the “farm stay” filter or keyword on Booking.com and Trip.com. While some farm stays may cost upwards of S$530+ for a luxurious glamping experience, others are available for less than S$200+ per night, providing an entire cottage for your exclusive use. Some tourist-friendly farm stays, like Tweed’s Hosanna Farmstay, also serve as a camping ground, offering budget-friendly sites starting from S$18+ per night and huts from S$110+.
Pro-trip: Book your accommodation via Trip.com or Booking.com on YouTrip Perks for more savings!
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Find out more about YouTrip Perks here
11. Try A Volunteer Work Exchange Or A Working Holiday

Image credits: WWOOF Australia
Another unique feature of farmstays is their ability to provide accommodation in exchange for some volunteer work. A good way to see more of Australia, meet locals, and save some money is to try volunteering or a working holiday (if you have the necessary visa).
Some websites like WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) Australia, Worldpackers, and HelpX offer you the chance to work a few hours a day in exchange for accommodation and sometimes food or even a little cash. It’s a neat way to travel if you’re on a shoestring budget. Other than working on farms, there are also other types of volunteering work like helping out in guest houses, teaching in schools, gardening, and more.
This is definitely a great way to get to know more people and ensures that your experience in Australia would be unlike other tourists. However, it’s important to note that if you’re planning on taking up a working holiday, visa procedures will be different.
11 Ways To Save Money While Visiting Australia 2023: Find out how to start a working holiday in Australia here
Your Guide To Savings In The Land Down Under!

Australia is a vast and diverse country, full of nature and adventure, with something to offer everyone. It can also be an expensive place to visit for people on a budget. However, with a little planning and savvy saving, you can still have an amazing time in Australia without breaking the bank or compromising your experience. The swarms of backpacking travellers are a testament to the fact that travelling on a budget in Australia is not only possible but also a lot of fun.
With this guide on 11 ways to save money in Australia, and learning from fellow backpackers, you can definitely pick up a tip or two on how to save money on accommodation, transportation, food, and activities. So go ahead, book that cheap flight, find a cosy hostel, and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. As usual, remember to lock in the best AUD rates on your YouTrip app before your trip and bring your trusty YouTrip card along!
As Singapore’s favourite multi-currency wallet, we aim to get those pesky fees out of the way and help you save on your travels. With the best foreign exchange rates, no longer will you have to deal with those long queues at money changers! So if you’re looking for a go-to travel card, sign up for your complimentary YouTrip card today with <YTBLOG5> and get FREE S$5 in your account! For more great tips and articles like this, join our Telegram (@YouTripSG) and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here or down below.
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Happy travels!
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