Aussie Guides to Sydney and beyond

Do I need a visa to visit Australia?

Almost always, yes. Australia requires most passport holders to have a visa — only New Zealand citizens enter visa-free. The easiest starting point for a short trip is the ETA (subclass 601), which you can apply for online in minutes and is valid for 12 months with stays up to 3 months per visit. Eligibility and fees depend on your passport — whether you're visiting from Korea, the US, the UK, Europe, or anywhere else, the same rule applies: check your specific case on homeaffairs.gov.au before you book flights. Longer stays, work, and study each have their own subclasses — the visa guide walks through the main five.

Is Australia expensive?

Yes — Sydney and Melbourne are among the world's most expensive cities. A coffee is around $5–$7 AUD. A casual restaurant meal is $20–$35 AUD per person. Rent in Sydney is the biggest cost — a room in a shared house is $200–$350 AUD/week, a one-bedroom apartment starts around $450–$600 AUD/week. Use numbeo.com or expatistan.com for real-time comparisons.

How does healthcare work in Australia?

Australia has a public healthcare system called Medicare. If you're on a permanent visa, you're generally eligible. On a temporary visa, you generally need private health insurance — which is strongly recommended anyway. For emergencies, go to a public hospital's Emergency Department (free). For everything else, book a GP (General Practitioner) — most bulk-bill so you pay nothing out of pocket.