David Campbell
Updated 24 Apr 2026, 11:28am
First published 24 Apr 2026, 10:22am
An international student who quit Australia after just four months has revealed spiralling rental costs and other financial pressures forced him to go home.
Australia has near record numbers of international students.
The student, originally from South Korea, fell in love with Australia while travelling for a month on holidays in 2024.
The dream trip inspired the man to move to Australia permanently and he achieved just that when he relocated to Sydney as an international student at the end of 2025.
The move saw the man become one of more than 550,000 international students studying in Australia at the start of 2026. The largest groups, according to the Australian Government, hail from China and India.
“I decided that I wanted to immigrate there,” the man wrote on Reddit.
“My goal was to stay in Australia, earn a master’s degree … and explore better job opportunities.”
But the student’s elation over living his Aussie dream quickly gave way to the stark reality facing everyday Australians struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis.
A lack of rental properties and huge costs if you manage to land one have become a major deterrent for people seeking Australia’s sun-drenched lifestyle.
PropTrack data showed Sydney rents grew 2.6 per cent over the March quarter, adding about $22 a week to the typical city rent. Median rent for a Sydney house is now $800 per week, while median weekly rent for a unit is $750.
There were nearly a 1000 fewer homes available to rent in Sydney than a year ago. Picture: Jeremy Piper
Rising costs and loneliness due to the absence of a proper support network quickly became too much for the student.
“After only four months, I found myself unable to cope with the high rent, tuition fees, and loneliness,” he said.
“For the past one year and three months, I had been so focused on immigrating to Australia that I found many things about life in Korea frustrating.
“But after experiencing life abroad, even for just a few months, I came to appreciate many aspects of the place where I was born and raised.”
Even small daily tasks took their toll on the student.
“In Australia, going to Woolworths for groceries became part of my daily routine,” he said.
“When I was travelling, going to Woolworths had been such a fun experience, but as an international student, it became something I dreaded.
“I realised how convenient and valuable it is in Korea to be able to get fast grocery delivery … for free with purchases over only $30.”
Many Australians on social media were quick to agree with the student’s assessment of living costs.
“Going somewhere for a fun holiday is very different to living there,” one person said.
“Life is not a bed of roses in Australia – I wish more people realised that,” another said.
“Sydney is lonely, expensive, and definitely doesn’t suit everyone,” another commented.
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