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Top 10 Suburbs In Melbourne For Uni Students

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2022-11-10


If you're looking for a great city to study in Melbourne, Australia is the place for you. With a vibrant culture and arts scene, there's plenty to keep you busy in your downtime. And when it comes to finding a suburb to live in, there are many great options for university students.


Here are 10 of the best suburbs in Melbourne for uni students:

  1. Brunswick
  2. Brunswick East/West
  3. Moonee Ponds
  4. Coburg
  5. Melbourne CBD
  6. Abbotsford
  7. Collingwood
  8. Carlton
  9. Northcote
  10. Fitzroy North

1. Brunswick#

Brunswick

Brunswick is a great suburb for uni students, thanks to its proximity to the city and excellent public transport access. It's affordable, too - perfect for students on a tight budget. On either side of Sydney Road, you'll find a number of great cafes and restaurants. You'll also find a number of great pubs and bars, including the The Cornish Arms Hotel, Retreat Hotel and Hotel Railway. Barkley Square shopping center is located in the center making it easy to get your groceries and other essentials even if you don't have a car.


🌟 Best for: Price, Tram Access, Vibes

🥱 Mid: Total distance from CBD

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Brunswick

2. Brunswick East/West#

Brunswick West

Just in case we didn't sell you on Brunswick, we're also recommending Brunswick East and Brunswick West as our second picks. Technically they are two distinct suburbs, both sitting on either side Brunswick. This means that you'll have access to the same great cafes, restaurants, and bars as Brunswick. Transit options are similiar, if you're west-side, the 58 tram line will get you into the city. If you're on the east-side, the 96 tram will get you there. Both take around 30 minutes. On the west you have Melville Road running through the center, on the east Lygon Street. Both are popular strips with plenty of food and drink options. Both suburbs make for a great second pick!


🌟 Best for: Price, Transit Access

🥱 Mid: Total distance from CBD

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Brunswick West

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Brunswick East

3. Moonee Ponds#

Moonee Ponds

Moonee Ponds is an solid choice that strikes a balance between affordability and proximity. Moonee Ponds is walking distance from Craigieburn Train Station, which will get you into the city in under 30 mins. The 96 and 59 tram lines take a bit longer, but will both get you into the city in under 40 mins. There are also plenty of great cafes and restaurants in the area leaving you spoilt for choice.


🌟 Best for: Price, Nearby Train Line, Nature

🥱 Mid: Total distance from CBD

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Moonee Ponds

4. Coburg#

Coburg

Coburg is one suburb back from Brunswick, adding on a little bit of extra distance to the commute. The Upfield train line will get you into the CBD in around 30 minutes, or by tram it's around 40 minutes. It's closeby to Brunswick and Brunswick West, so you'll still be able to enjoy the great cafes and restaurants in the area. Coburg is also a little bit cheaper than Brunswick, making it a great option for students on a budget.


🌟 Best for: Price, Nearby Train Line, Nature

🥱 Mid: Total distance from CBD

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Coburg

5. Melbourne CBD#

Melbourne CBD

Staying in the city is also a fantastic option, with absolutely everything you could need within walking distance. Expect to pay $20-40 more per week (than our other suburb recommendations). If you're studying at RMIT (or another city campus), you'll even be able to walk to uni. Expect a little less space and a little more noise, but you'll be able to enjoy the best of Melbourne's food, shopping, and nightlife.


🌟 Best for: Things to do

🥱 Mid: Price, space, noise

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Melbourne

6. Abbotsford#

Abbotsford

Abbotsford is nestled away in the inner north, and is a great option for students who want to be close to the city, but also want a little more space/balance. Abbotsford scores 5 stars for nature, it's close to the Yarra River, Victoria Park and Abbotsford Convent. Johnston Street is a popular strip with awesome bars, cafes and restaurants. Here you'll also find the Victoria Park train station, which will get you into the city in under 30 minutes. The 200, 202 and 207 trams also take right into the heart of Fitzroy, Collingwood and the city. This makes Abbotsford very accessible and a great overall option for students. Abbotsford is one of the more expensive suburbs on this list, but that might be worth it if you've liked what you read so far.


🌟 Best for: Nature, transport, balance

🥱 Mid: Price

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Abbotsford

7. Collingwood#

Collingwood

Collingwood is another fantastic suburb in the inner north. It's one hop accross from Abbotsford, stepping closer to Fitzroy and the city. Collingwood is well known for Smith Street which runs right through it. Here you'll find endless great cafes, bars and restaurants. You wont find quite as much nature as you would in Abbotsford, but Collingwood is a very walkable suburb with pockets of green space and plenty to see and do. Collingwood is also very accessible, with two tram lines taking you right into the city in under 30 minutes (86/905). The 96 tram will take you to Brunswick and the 200 tram will take you to Abbotsford. With the perks comes a price, Collingwood is one of the more expensive suburbs on this list so you'll need to be prepared to pay a little more.


🌟 Best for: Proximity to the city, cafes and bars

🥱 Mid: Price

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Collingwood

8. Carlton#

Carlton

Carlton is a fantastic choice if you're a University of Melbourne student. Both the uni and the city are within walking distance, and there's plenty of great cafes and bars to enjoy. Carlton Gardens is great place to hang out, exercise or chill out. Carlton is also very accessible and walkable making it a great overall choice. Like our other inner-north recommendations, expect to pay a little more for the privilege of living in Carlton.


🌟 Best for: Proximity to the city and uni, cafes and bars

🥱 Mid: Still on the pricey side

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Carlton

9. Northcote#

Northcote

Northcote is suburb with a community feel. It's a less popular choice for students but it has a lot going for it. It's a hip area with a bunch of cafes, bars and boutiques. It's about 30 minutes from the city by train, and 40 minutes by tram. Northcote is also a little bit cheaper than our other inner-north recommendations, so it's a great suburb to look into for students on a budget.


🌟 Best for: Well rounded, community feel

🥱 Mid: Less popular for students, distance from the city

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Northcote

10. Fitzroy North#

Fitzroy North

Fitzroy North is another great pick for students looking in the inner north. Fitzroy North is a little bit cheaper than Fitzroy, but still has a lot to offer. On average, a 2 bedroom flat is $105 cheaper, and 3 bedroom house is $50 cheaper. This will be a no brainer for anyone on a budget. Edinborough Gardens and the Inner Circle Reserve serve as nice green space, perfect for a picnic or a walk. As with most inner-north picks, you'll be absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to food, drinks and bars. A great option for students looking for a little more space at a reasonable price.


🌟 Best for: Green Space, Balance

🔗 Browse Rooms And Housemates In Fitzroy North




So there you have it - 10 great suburbs in Melbourne for uni students. So what are you waiting for? Get started and start exploring!


PS: Have questions, or think we've missed a suburb? Let us by sending us an email!


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Top 5 Affordable Suburbs, Inner Melbourne

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