English study living costs 2026: London, Sydney, Malta and Cape Town

Published 2026 school-market ranges for a general English week plus homestay cluster as follows. London often quotes £350–480. Sydney and Melbourne often quote AU$580–820. Malta often quotes €200–280. Cape Town often quotes about USD 280–400. The weekly bands are not official government prices. Ask each language school for a 12-week and 24-week invoice dated this year.

EnglishHubSA's Cape Town student cost guide puts homestay with half board at USD 450–700 a month. Transport is about USD 60–120, mobile data about USD 15, and personal spending USD 150–250. Tuition for a standard 20-lesson week adds roughly USD 900–1,400 a month. A 3-month all-in stay often lands between USD 4,000 and 7,000 on the Cape Town city page.

A UK Short-term study visa is £228 plus an Immigration Health Surcharge usually £776 (GOV.UK 2026). A UK visit visa up to 6 months is £135 from 8 April 2026. Australia's standard Student visa charge is AUD 2,500 from 1 July 2026, with a concessional ELICOS tier. Malta D-visa files add VFS and appointment fees. South Africa adds VFS fees, police clearance, and a local medical scheme. Compare those lines in the same spreadsheet as tuition.

UK visitor and Short-term study visas forbid work. Australia allows 48 hours a fortnight on subclass 500 after the course starts, which will not cover Sydney rent on its own. Ireland's Stamp 2 is the language-course route with 20-hour term-time work. South Africa language visas usually have no general work rights. Price the stay as if you will not earn.

Cape Town is the cheaper native-English option when the job is 3–12 months of immersion and the invoice matters. Cape Town is the wrong save if you need UK or Irish work hours, a short hop from Europe, or a Schengen 90-day taster. Safety is real and neighbourhood-specific. Confirm school suburbs, night transport, and the visa route in writing before you pay a deposit.