The capital of the state of Tasmania, located at the foot of Mount Wellington at the mouth of the River Derwent, is one of the oldest cities in Australia. A place full of life, with stunning landscapes and many corners to discover.
So, so, so remote that in its beginnings it was conceived as a penal colony for 300 prisoners and 30 free settlers. For years, its inhabitants were exclusively convicts, whalers and seal hunters. The best of each house, so to speak.
Little remains of that small colony founded at the beginning of the 19th century by Colonel David Collins beyond its history and valuable historical heritage. In the early years of the 21st century, Hobart proudly boasts of being a privileged enclave (for many, one of the most beautiful places in the world), capable of combining the best of a modern city with the best of wild nature: beach, forests, mountains and nature reserves surround it, creating a stunning landscape where, in addition, life is very good: it is one of the cheapest cities in Australia, making it an even more interesting destination.
Like any city in the world, Hobart has its pros and cons, although as in any Australian city, the good far outweighs the bad. Keep reading or fill out our contact form to continue discovering Hobart together!
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Hobart is one of the most affordable cities to live in Australia and for that reason, it’s a highly valued option by students who come here looking for an opportunity.
There are areas for all tastes. Regarding prices, Hobart offers different residential options, some cheaper than in other Australian destinations. As always, we’re going to make two distinctions: shared room/private room and in the city centre/outside the centre.
Want to know more about the neighbourhoods to live in Hobart? Keep reading!
It’s one of the oldest and most picturesque neighbourhoods in Hobart, with Georgian-style cottages and narrow streets that will take you back in time. Although it’s one of the areas with the highest rental prices in the city, its proximity to the CBD and to major tourist spots like Salamanca Market makes it one of the favourite places to stay for students, locals, and weekend tourists.
Next to Battery Point, Sandy Bay is the student neighbourhood par excellence. Rent prices are also among the highest, but justified by its location and the services it offers: the University of Tasmania (UTAS) has one of its main campuses here, and it’s a neighbourhood very well equipped with shops, leisure options and a beach.
Tops the list as the best neighbourhood in Hobart. Located on a hill overlooking the bay, it’s just a stone’s throw from North Hobart and its restaurants. However, its lifestyle is calm and family-oriented, with beautiful Victorian-style houses.
The foodie and leisure area par excellence, thanks to its many restaurants and cafés found along the famous Elizabeth Street, which connects directly to the CBD. Don’t miss the State Cinema and the old post office that has been operating since 1903.
Commonly known as SoHo, South Hobart is a residential neighbourhood located at the foot of Mount Wellington where you’ll see wallabies, possums, rabbits and all kinds of birds daily. Still close to the city centre, it’s the perfect neighbourhood for nature and hiking lovers.
Located on the other side of the Tasman Bridge, it has recently been rated as one of the best neighbourhoods to live in Hobart. Safe, with a large shopping centre, sunny and with stunning sea views. Housing prices across the river drop significantly, although you’ll have to account for spending a bit more time commuting to the city every day.
In Hobart and Tasmania in general, the best way to get around is by bus. You can get the Greencard and top it up. The average ticket price is $3 AUD per ride, but if you meet the requirements, you can get a reduced fare (concession). The price also changes depending on whether you travel within urban areas or further from the city centre.
As it’s not a huge city like Sydney or Melbourne, getting a bike or taking long walks is also a highly recommended way to get around while getting some exercise.
In general, the grocery basket in Australia tends to be more expensive than in most students’ home countries. A dozen eggs in Hobart may cost around $6.00 AUD, a loaf of bread $3.00 AUD, a litre of milk $1.85 AUD, and a kilo of chicken breast $14.00 AUD.
If instead of going to the supermarket you head to the markets (the traditional ones), you’ll see that fresh products like fruits and vegetables are much cheaper than anywhere else. For example, the Salamanca Market every Saturday morning or the Farm Gate Market on Sundays in the heart of Hobart are two can’t-miss events when it comes to stocking your pantry with high-quality local products at good prices. Plus, if you buy food close to its expiration date, you’ll also save a good amount of dollars! Plan your weekly shop well and you’ll save a lot.
As for leisure, eating in a cheap restaurant will cost you an average of $22.00 AUD, a pint around $7.5 AUD, and a cappuccino $5.50 AUD.
Maybe Hobart isn’t the liveliest city in Australia, but it still has plenty of cool things to do all year and seasonal events that are totally worth it.
First of all, there’s nothing like a night around Salamanca Place. Dinner, drinks, beers, cinema, theatre and people everywhere… You won’t get bored here!
As for annual events, although there are many interesting options, we especially love two: the Summer Festival, which is 14 days outdoors of theatre, music, drinking and nonstop street food; and The Falls Festival, an indie music festival that brings together bands like Vampire Weekend, Wombat or Halsey during the last 3 days of the year. Not bad at all!
Another big annual event is Dark Mofo, the winter version of the Mona Foma festival, with night-time events including concerts, installations, and performances.
At Dingoos we have a Facebook group for every Australian city, and Hobart is no exception.
Check out the group we have in Hobart and feel free to ask anything you want to the people living in the Australian little big city: from how to apply for your transport card to whether someone’s available to grab a pint.
Possibly due to its relative proximity to Antarctica, Hobart is the city with the lowest temperatures among all Australian cities: the historical minimum is -2.8°C and the maximum reached 40.8°C, both records from the 1970s. Its climate is temperate oceanic and divided into four seasons.
It’s the second Australian city with the least daylight hours in winter and the one with the most daylight in summer.
Studying in Hobart has many advantages. One of them is that you can find very good course and school options at lower prices than in other Australian cities.
You’ll be able to choose between English courses, VET courses or university studies. Once you’ve chosen the course and the school you want to study at, you’ll just need to enrol and apply for your student visa. You’ll also need to get travel health insurance like OSHC.
The best part is that if you want to study in Hobart, Dingoos helps you with the entire planning of your trip and much more. Check out our free services and get in touch with us.
The student visa in Australia allows you to combine studies and work, so if your goal is to finance your stay while studying with a job, you’re in luck. During class periods you can work part-time (24 hours/week) and full-time during holidays (48 hours/week).
To work in Hobart with the student visa, you’ll only need to get your Tax File Number (TFN) upon arriving in the country. Once again, if you come with Dingoos, you won’t have to worry about this either because we’ll help you with it.
Salaries in Hobart are proportional to the cost of living. In the end, what matters is the proportion, and in this case, both go hand in hand.
With a part-time job, you can earn a salary of $480 AUD per week, more than enough to support yourself and enjoy the Australian experience.
The most in-demand jobs for students are those related to the service sector, but if you have a good CV, you can always apply for more qualified positions.
Studying in Australia isn’t the hardest thing in the world, but it’s also not as easy as waking up one day on a whim and saying, “Today I feel like going to the other side of the world for six months, I’ll pack my suitcase.”
Australia is a very safe country, with unstoppable economic growth for over 25 years and plenty of opportunities and advantages for everyone who wants to grow personally and professionally.
Our goal is to make everything crystal clear from the start, so you always know what to expect on the other side of the world and avoid surprises. Ready?
At Dingoos we’re experts in Australia and we’ll be with you every step of the way to help you decide which visa suits you best. And once you’re clear, we’ll help you with all the paperwork so getting it is so easy you won’t even notice.
Hobart is full of places you can’t miss. It’s a manageable, vibrant and contrasting city, combining lush and wild nature with architectural icons from different historical periods:
The largest private museum in the southern hemisphere. Imagine how many things can fit in there! Among them a hotel, a brewery, a restaurant, and even a winery, yes—but also large collections of ancient, modern and contemporary art from the collection of businessman and collector David Walsh, whose most controversial themes revolve around sex and death. The museum is incredible inside, but don’t even think about missing its surroundings—they’re a marvel in themselves. Add to that a ton of concerts held every year, and you’ve got one amazing plan. Take the ferry to make the experience complete.
It’s one thing to see it from below and another to reach the summit—a very Hobart-style plan you absolutely must do. Climb to the top of its 1,270 metres and see a panoramic view of the city and surroundings that’s priceless… well, not really: you’ll either have to hike or take a bus to the top. Your call!
An authentic open-air museum, so much so that it’s listed as a World Heritage Site. Here you’ll find the remaining buildings from that first era when Hobart was a large penal settlement for overseas convicts. It’s a place that will surprise you and transport you to another era—thankfully, one that’s long gone.
You’ve surely seen it in photos. Separated from Tasmania by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, you could say it’s the small island of a world-famous island on a continent that everyone thinks is an island. Curious, right? To get there, you can take a ferry and even stay overnight in its camping grounds, but with a day visit you’ll see the main highlights. Famous for its cliffs, its incredible underwater world, and its legendary lookout The Neck, which splits the island in two.
From the outside, it looks quite like a haunted house, but inside it houses Australia’s oldest brewery. Perfect for a weekend visit and a tasting tour. A place that looks haunted—and you’ll be enchanted!
We hope you liked what you’ve seen about Hobart, that you can already picture yourself living there 100%, and that we’ll see you there sooner rather than later. As always, for anything you need, we’re just an email away. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions—we’ll be happy to help.
Since we know how hard it is to choose a destination in Australia, we want to help by sharing the pros and cons of living in each city.
The most global Australian city, a big metropolis that never sleeps and where you always discover something new that makes you fall in love.
One of the cities with the highest quality of life in the world. The only bad part about going is coming back—but you can always find a way to stay forever.
Amazing weather all year round, kilometres of beach, and buildings so tall you’ll be left speechless. Welcome to the surfer’s paradise.
A peaceful haven on the Pacific coast, the cradle of Australian bohemia. A place that’s more a way of life than just a place.
The capital of Queensland and Australia’s third-largest city with two million inhabitants. A very manageable city with good weather all year round.
The great capital of the west coast, a city that, not being so touristy, perfectly preserves the essence of Australia. The best sunsets in the country are here.
An urban tropical paradise, surrounded by nature and with just 120,000 inhabitants, plus it’s close to a thousand unmissable spots.
A subtropical paradise without tall buildings or urban crowds—perfect for strolling among koalas and surfing near dolphins.
Life on the beach, life made better! Australia’s sunshine coast is perfect if you’re a laid-back person and can’t imagine living in a big city.
Living in Adelaide isn’t just living in the fifth largest city in the country and the capital of South Australia—it’s also living in one of the most beautiful, well-organised, and cultural cities in the world.
Darwin is the perfect place for those who want to study and work in Australia far from the big crowds and with a very tropical vibe.
Canberra is the capital of Australia. A quiet, family-oriented city, very well integrated and surrounded by nature. Plus, it’s home to the Australian Parliament.
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