What a night costs
| 🛏️ Hostel dorm bed | $22–$40/night |
| 🚪 Private room (hostel/guesthouse) | $65–$100/night |
| 🏨 Budget hotel / Airbnb room | $85–$140/night |
Full backpacker daily budget for Australia (bed + food + local transport + fun): about $75/day shoestring or $110/day flashpacker.
Where to stay
Fitzroy/Collingwood for the cool stuff, CBD for transit ease.
Local tip
💡 Melbourne hostels are slightly cheaper than Sydney's and the free city tram zone saves real money.
The clean-bed formula
Filter to rating ≥ 8.3 with 150+ reviews, then read the recent negative reviews — that's where the cleanliness truth lives. Prefer free-cancellation rates; plans change, especially yours.