What Is The Cheapest Way To Do The East Coast Of Australia?

Gabby Boucher

April 30th, 2024

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8 minute read

The cheapest way to do the East Coast of Australia is using Greyhound buses, cheap flights, backpacker hostels, home-cooked meals, and budget tours as the backbone of your trip! If you prioritise these money-saving hacks, it's much easier to travel Australia on a budget. 

We're going to break down each aspect of travelling Australia on a budget so you can plan the ultimate adventure that is also affordable! If you find the cheapest transport, hostels, groceries, and tours, it's possible to live your dream life Down Under without spending a fortune. 

What Is The Cheapest Way To Do The East Coast Of Australia?

You can cheaply travel the East Coast of Australia by mindfully selecting budget transport, hostels, meals, and tours. These are the four biggest expenses while travelling, so learning to do each of these on a budget can save you so much money on the road. Luckily, Australia has great resources for backpackers and budget travellers. Don't feel like you need to skip out on any East Coast highlights because of money. We're going to show you how to travel Australia on a budget!

Cheapest way to travel along the East Coast of Australia

In terms of transport, the cheapest way to travel along the East Coast of Australia is a Greyhound Bus Pass. All you have to do is pay an up-front fee for the bus pass, and then you don't have to pay any more transport fees for the duration of your pass. You get unlimited travel between all the top destinations in Australia, which is a hassle-free and affordable way to hop between cities and towns on the East Coast. 

To make your travel even cheaper, you can book overnight buses for long journeys and save the cost of a night's accommodation. If you are hoping to travel further and faster, you can still consider domestic flights because Australia has some super cheap airlines like Jetstar. But overall, Greyhound Bus is the cheapest way to travel along the East Coast of Australia. 

Greyhound Bus Pass Costs

So you can visualise the costs of a Greyhound Bus Pass, here is a list of the current prices. The longer you travel, the cheaper the bus pass is per day. 

• 7 Day Bus Pass - $289 or $41 per day
• 15 Day Bus Pass - $369 or $25 per day
• 30 Day Bus Pass - $449 or $15 per day
• 60 Day Bus Pass - $569 or $9 per day
• 90 Day Bus Pass - $719 or $8 per day
• 120 Day Bus Pass - $849 or $7 per day

If you add in the potential costs of public transport within cities or towns, you might spend an average of $20 per day on transport while travelling Australia. 

Cheapest places to stay in Australia

Another way to save money in Australia is by staying in hostels. Accommodation is usually a huge expense while travelling, so finding the cheapest places to stay in Australia is essential for budget travellers. Hotels in Australia are pricey, especially in big cities like Sydney or Melbourne. To sleep somewhere on a budget, choose a hostel dorm room. You'll be sharing a room and facilities with other travellers and though this isn't the most glamorous experience, it's fun, social, and character-building!

Other budget accommodation options include camping, taking overnight buses, and booking overnight tours where accommodation is included. Whitsunday sailing tours and K'gari (Fraser Island) camping tours are great examples of where you can combine your accommodation with your tour. 

You can also consider travelling Australia by campervan, which combines your transport and accommodation costs! This is a great option for small groups of travellers who can split the cost of the van rental and fuel. It can be an expensive option for solo travellers though, so just keep that in mind.

Hostel costs in Australia:

Every hostel is unique, but here is an average summary of hostel costs in popular places on Australia's East Coast. These costs are for a bed in a shared dorm room, per night. Also note that prices may rise during the peak summer travel season and holidays. 

• Sydney - $25 - $60
• Melbourne - $20 - $60
• Cairns - $15 - $45
• Brisbane - $20 - $50
• Byron Bay - $30 - $40
• Airlie Beach - $20 - $35
• Surfer's Paradise - $20 - $45
• Noosa - $30 - $60

So the average price of a hostel dorm bed on Australia's East Coast is around $30 per night. Nicer hostels can get up to $60 per night, and the cheapest dorms are around $15 - $20 per night. 

Eating on a budget in Australia

The easiest way to eat on a budget while backpacking Australia is to limit dining out. It's as simple as that, and this rule applies even when you're living at home! Eating and drinking in bars, restaurants, and cafes is so much fun, but it's expensive. In Australia, a main meal in a restaurant can cost around $20 - $30, so you could easily spend up to $100 per day on food just by dining out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Food is something you should enjoy while travelling, but a bit of self-discipline can save you lots of money. Try to stay in a hostel with a kitchen so you can prepare budget meals at home. Even just cooking your own breakfast every day will save you $20 on a cafe meal. You can also enjoy picnic lunches using groceries instead of dining out for lunch. Definitely treat yourself to some amazing meals, but mix in some homemade meals and budget-friendly snacks to save money on food. 

Food costs in Australia:

Here are some average costs of food in Australia. This can help you compare the costs of meals and preparing food at home in your hostel. Save money further by shopping at cheap grocery stores like ALDI or buying discounted food. For example, Woolworths sells a cheap "Odd Bunch" range of produce that is slightly less pretty but is still delicious!

Dining out:

• Coffee at a cafe - $5 - $6
• Breakfast in a cafe - $15 - $25
• Lunch in a cafe - $15 - 30
• Cocktail - $15 - $25
• Main meal at a nice dinner restaurant - $30 - $50
• Glass of wine or beer at a bar - $8 - $12

Groceries:

• 1kg of yogurt - $5
• 1kg of oats - $3
• Bag of apples or oranges - $5
• Box of 2 large chicken breasts - $10
• Can of beans or chickpeas - $1
• Can of tuna - $2 - $4
• Carton of 12 free-range eggs - $5
• Loaf of standard bread - $4
• Loaf of artisanal sourdough - $8
• 1 avocado - $2
• 1kg bag of rice - $4
• Jar of peanut butter - $4
• 1kg bag of carrots - $4
• 1 grass-fed steak - $10

Those are just a few examples! So dining out in Australia is around $30 per meal. But you can spend $30 on groceries and make numerous meals for a few days. So pick and choose your treat meals out and try to get by on cheap meals like rice, beans, oats, and affordable protein to save money.

Budget Tours in Australia

Last but not least, you can explore the East Coast of Australia cheaply by finding the most affordable tours! Whether you want to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, swim in waterfalls, drive a 4WD across K'gari (Fraser Island), learn to surf in Noosa, kayak in Byron Bay, drive the Great Ocean Road or hike in the Blue Mountains, some experiences cannot be missed in Australia. 

Luckily, you can book these experiences on a backpacker budget quite easily! View our full list of tours and live chat with our travel experts to enquire about discounts. Whether you are travelling in the off-season, travelling with a group, or hoping to score a package deal on multiple tours, there are many ways to find cheap tours in Australia. 

Cost of tours in Australia:

• Day trip - can range from $150 - $300
• 2-day, 2-night trip - can range from $450 - $700
• 3-day, 3-night trip - can range from $500 - $900

Remember that an overnight trip usually includes all transport, accommodation, and meals. So the price you pay for a 3-day tour is actually all of your costs for the full 3 days!

East Coast Australia Itineraries

Given all we've just covered, another one of the cheapest ways to do the East Coast of Australia is a pre-booked itinerary. These comprehensive itineraries combine Greyhound bus transport, hostel accommodation, and top-rated tours and experiences into one easy, convenient, affordable package. Some itineraries include a few meals as well! Our itineraries have some of the best prices on the market, which allows you to seamlessly explore East Coast Australia on a budget. 

Try our handy itinerary planner or view our full list of East Coast Itineraries to compare prices! 

You can also live chat with our travel experts if you have any more questions about the cheapest ways to travel Australia!