How much money do you need for Australia?
Short answer: Four weeks backpacking the East Coast from Sydney to Cairns costs about $3,450 to $4,600 per person, roughly $850 to $1,150 a week, on a Greyhound pass with hostel dorms, food and the three big tours (K'gari, the Whitsundays sail and the Great Barrier Reef). The same four weeks as a Travel Mates trip, with transport, beds, meals on guided days and those big tours already in the price, is about $4,950 to $5,350 once you add food on the free days. Two people sharing a campervan instead pay about $3,500 to $4,300 each. Tours, the pass and van hire are live prices. Hostel beds and food are our estimates, labelled as such. Flights, insurance and drinks are extra.
Prices checked . Per person, AUD.
Estimated total per person
Tours, the Greyhound pass, campervan rates and Travel Mates trips are live "from" prices, so the price for your dates can differ. Hostel, food and van running costs are estimates, not prices we sell. Flights, travel insurance and drinks are not included.
How we work it out
- Live prices: the lowest current per-person price of each tour, the Greyhound East Coast pass option that covers your days, the daily "from" rate of the van you pick, and Travel Mates trips, all read from our booking catalogue.
- Estimates: hostel dorm beds at $35 to $60 a night, private rooms at $110 to $160 per room, food at $30 to $45 a day cooking or $50 to $70 mixing in meals out, and $55 to $80 a day for van fuel and campsites. They are ours, not prices we sell.
- Two people sharing split the van and a private room. Everything else is per person.
- Travel Mates trips already include the bus pass, beds, guided big days and some meals, so those tours are not added twice. Their itinerary is fixed; only the start date is yours.
Doing farm work for a second visa? Track your 88 days or see 88 day jobs. Want the numbers by product? Backpacker Price Index, campervan hire prices, bus passes, Sydney to Cairns.
Your questions
How much money do I need for 4 weeks in Australia?
For four weeks on the East Coast, Sydney to Cairns, budget about $3,450 to $4,600 per person on a Greyhound pass, hostel dorms, food and the three big tours, before flights, travel insurance and drinks. Use the calculator above to change weeks, route and style.
How much does backpacking Australia cost per week?
On the East Coast, about $850 to $1,150 a week on the four-week plan above. A shorter trip costs more per week because the tours are a bigger share, and a longer one costs less.
Is a bus pass, a campervan or a Travel Mates trip cheapest?
For four weeks Sydney to Cairns, the bus pass plan is about $3,450 to $4,600 per person, two people sharing a campervan about $3,500 to $4,300 each, and a Travel Mates trip about $4,950 to $5,350 including food on free days. Vans are cheapest for two or more sharing; solo, a pass with dorm beds usually wins. Travel Mates is the only option with beds, transport and the guided days booked for you.
How much should I budget for hostels and food?
We assume a hostel dorm bed at $35 to $60 a night and food at $30 to $45 a day if you mostly cook, or $50 to $70 a day if you mix cooking and eating out. These are estimates, not prices we sell; the calculator labels them.
How much do K'gari, the Whitsundays and the reef cost?
From $579 for a K'gari 3-day tour, $449 for a Whitsundays overnight sail and $199 for a Great Barrier Reef day trip, per person, at the lowest current price we sell each one.
What is not included in the budget?
Flights to and from Australia, travel insurance, visa fees, drinks and nights out, souvenirs, optional add-ons such as a skydive unless you tick it, and local transport in cities. For campervans, one-way fees, insurance excess reduction and park fees are extra too.
Where do the prices come from?
Tours, the Greyhound East Coast pass, campervan daily rates and Travel Mates trips are the current prices in our booking catalogue, read when the page loads (28 October 2026). Hostel beds, food and van running costs are estimates with the basis shown beside each line.