How to: see Melbourne on a budget
Australia can be expensive. When travelling on a budget it's important to be responsible. If saving money is at the top of your priorities then there are lots of ways to barely spend money in Melbourne. In planning for future travel around the country it is important to budget and make the most of every penny. So here's some tips to help you see Melbourne on a budget based on my experience.
Getting around
One important factor that attracts people to visit Melbourne is the ease of getting around. Having not done my research properly before arriving in Melbourne, I didn't realise that walking wasn't the only budget friendly transport method...
To my amazement, all of the city trams in the CBD area are FREE to use in certain zones. Unless you're needing to travel outside of the main city (e.g. to visit St Kilda) then the free trams are an absolute life saver for a savvy tourist! It literally is a case of hop on and hop off as you wish which is perfect for seeing the range of attractions Melbourne has to offer.
If you want to be even more touristy on Melbourne's public transport, then I'd highly recommend the city circle tram. Instantly recognisable from the retro style, you can literally hear this tram coming from miles away. The tram ride plays an audio commentary explaining the history of major attractions, as well as providing information leaflets and maps of the city.
Seeing the city
You don't have to spend a fortune to see the city. One thing that I always look out for when travelling is free walking tours. Not only is this a great way to see a destination, but if you're travelling alone it's a great way of meeting new people to hang out with. When booking accommodation I always look for a hostel that provides a walking tour for this purpose as it can be quite daunting approaching new people without a common interest.
The tour I took part in was by Walks 101 recommended by my hostel. This free tour works on a pay what you feel basis, which means tipping the tour guide based on how much you feel the experience was worth. There was no added pressure to tip at the end which was great!
Lasting approximately 2 hours overall, the tour covered a lot of the city. From Melbourne's Goldrush history to hidden speakeasy bars and street art, our guide shared expert knowledge and recommendations that only a local would know. Better still, our guide provided us with a list of the best bars and clubs to visit in the city and was happy to chat and share a drink with us after. The only negative was the constant plug on how Melbourne is home to the "world's best coffee", followed by a 30 minute coffee stop at what was a basic cafe.
Walks 101 also operate in Sydney, and in both cities provide additional tours at an added cost. You can check them out here.
Accommodation
Depending on the type of accommodation you opt for, prices can easily range from $25-$200 per night. Weekend prices tend to increase due to more demand, so if a weekend break in Melbourne is on the cards it's best to book well in advance.
Hostels are the best option for a budget traveller. There are many located in and around the city, and during my short time in Australia I probably stayed in 6 different hostels in Melbourne.
One of the easiest ways to search for available hostels on the cheap ($20-$30 per night) is searching on Hostel World. I book all of my accommodation through this site as you can compare hostel profiles and reviews to decide on what suits you best. Here's a list of the best hostels I stayed in:
Getting around
One important factor that attracts people to visit Melbourne is the ease of getting around. Having not done my research properly before arriving in Melbourne, I didn't realise that walking wasn't the only budget friendly transport method...
To my amazement, all of the city trams in the CBD area are FREE to use in certain zones. Unless you're needing to travel outside of the main city (e.g. to visit St Kilda) then the free trams are an absolute life saver for a savvy tourist! It literally is a case of hop on and hop off as you wish which is perfect for seeing the range of attractions Melbourne has to offer.
If you want to be even more touristy on Melbourne's public transport, then I'd highly recommend the city circle tram. Instantly recognisable from the retro style, you can literally hear this tram coming from miles away. The tram ride plays an audio commentary explaining the history of major attractions, as well as providing information leaflets and maps of the city.
Seeing the city
You don't have to spend a fortune to see the city. One thing that I always look out for when travelling is free walking tours. Not only is this a great way to see a destination, but if you're travelling alone it's a great way of meeting new people to hang out with. When booking accommodation I always look for a hostel that provides a walking tour for this purpose as it can be quite daunting approaching new people without a common interest.
The tour I took part in was by Walks 101 recommended by my hostel. This free tour works on a pay what you feel basis, which means tipping the tour guide based on how much you feel the experience was worth. There was no added pressure to tip at the end which was great!
Lasting approximately 2 hours overall, the tour covered a lot of the city. From Melbourne's Goldrush history to hidden speakeasy bars and street art, our guide shared expert knowledge and recommendations that only a local would know. Better still, our guide provided us with a list of the best bars and clubs to visit in the city and was happy to chat and share a drink with us after. The only negative was the constant plug on how Melbourne is home to the "world's best coffee", followed by a 30 minute coffee stop at what was a basic cafe.
Walks 101 also operate in Sydney, and in both cities provide additional tours at an added cost. You can check them out here.
Accommodation
Depending on the type of accommodation you opt for, prices can easily range from $25-$200 per night. Weekend prices tend to increase due to more demand, so if a weekend break in Melbourne is on the cards it's best to book well in advance.
Hostels are the best option for a budget traveller. There are many located in and around the city, and during my short time in Australia I probably stayed in 6 different hostels in Melbourne.
One of the easiest ways to search for available hostels on the cheap ($20-$30 per night) is searching on Hostel World. I book all of my accommodation through this site as you can compare hostel profiles and reviews to decide on what suits you best. Here's a list of the best hostels I stayed in:
- United Backpackers
- Flinders Backpackers
- Nomads All Nations
- Melbourne Central YHA
- The Village Melbourne
Food
The cheapest way to eat in Melbourne is to cook for yourself in a hostel. What I liked about the places I stayed was that free breakfasts were provided. It's a thing in Melbourne to have pancakes for breakfast, and the fact that virtually all hostels give them away for free as part of an overnight package is a bonus. Some even provide free pasta and rice, so all you need to do is gather a few extra ingredients from Woolworths and you're sorted.
If cooking meals isn't your thing, then cheap restaurants/take outs are a great option.
One of my personal favourites and most recognisable budget brands was Dominos Pizza. Back in the UK it would cost £20+ for a pizza, but in Australia the prices were unbelievable. On the budget menu, you could pick up a medium pizza for just $5 which is the equivalent of just £2.65! So this is the perfect option for a quick and cheap meal.
Queen Victoria Market is filled with hundreds of stalls selling absolutely anything you can think of. There also are a few small pop up business vans selling sweet treats and savoury snacks. One of my ultimate favourites was the iconic spiral potato on a stick. There isn't any other way to describe it as the popular snack goes by many names. You can choose the flavour depending on your taste, but I would recommend the classic Australian seasoning using chicken salt.
Budget travel is possible!
Where have you enjoyed a destination on a budget?
~ LamaraTravels
If you enjoyed this post you can read more from my short time in Australia:
Find out 'How coronavirus left me stranded...'.
Discover the secrets of Melbourne's Instagram Hub.
Read the reality of the St Kilda penguins experience.
Follow my socials:
Twitter: @LamaraTravels
Instagram: @LamaraTravels
Budget travel is possible!
Where have you enjoyed a destination on a budget?
~ LamaraTravels
If you enjoyed this post you can read more from my short time in Australia:
Find out 'How coronavirus left me stranded...'.
Discover the secrets of Melbourne's Instagram Hub.
Read the reality of the St Kilda penguins experience.
Follow my socials:
Twitter: @LamaraTravels
Instagram: @LamaraTravels
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