The Top 15 Backpacker Hostels In Melbourne
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21st Nov | 17 min read

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    Melbourne is a popular tourist destination as well as one of the world's most live-able cities. The cosmopolitan city, which marks the start of a well-traveled backpacker route that runs from south to north, is rich in architecture, entertainment, shopping, beaches, and even landscaped gardens. The second-largest city in Australia is beloved by everyone - gourmands, hipsters, culture vultures, and the sports mad.

    If you're backpacking Australia alone, you can stay at hostels. Hostels are cheap, easily accessible, and a great place to find work and meet other travelers.  Knowing the right hostel to stay in is an important decision for any backpacker to make as the sheer number of hostels in the city makes it a tough task.

    To help you plan your trip, we've compiled a list of the best hostels in Melbourne that are affordable on a backpacker's budget. We've even organized them into useful categories for you!

    New to our blog? Here are some of our cool hostel guides worth checking!

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    Best Hostels in Melbourne For Budget Backpackers

    Nomads St Kilda Beach

    Nomads St Kilda Beach is the best budget hostel in Melbourne. It’s situated close to the beach at St Kilda and within easy reach of a tram station to get into the heart of Melbourne. Broke backpackers can hunt for paid opportunities on the jobs boards here. This hostel offers a wide range of accommodations, ranging from 6 bed to 14-bed dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms and 10-bed or 6-bed dormitory rooms with en suites. Nomads St Kilda Beach offers pod beds, which include 2 USB chargers, 2 power points, a privacy curtain, and personal reading light and shelf. 

    How much Nomads St Kilda Beach costs? 

    $29 - $51 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Street parking is available to guests.

    Address: 24 Grey St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia

    Nearby

    • Fitzroy Street is a 1-minute walk
    • St Kilda Pier is 11 minutes walk
    • Luna Park is 14 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Beach is 19 minutes walk
    • Albert Park Lake is 3 minutes drive

    Contact: +61 3 9534 5283

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.6/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 3/5
    • Booking.com: 7.2/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 10/10

    Amenities:

    • Free Breakfast 
    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities
    • Airport Transportation

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Nomads St Kilda Beach

    Flinders Backpackers

    Flinders Backpackers is one of the cheapest hostels in Melbourne and ideal for backpackers who want to save money on food and entertainment with regular offerings of the best free breakfast along with free dinners, free walking tours each day, and an array of fun free events. It’s a great Melbourne youth hostel for travelers who love to socialize as it has an onsite bar, a movie room, and a chill-out area with a pool table and foosball. This hostel offers a wide range of accommodations, ranging from 6-bed mixed dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms and also a 5-bed female dormitory.

    How much Flinders Backpackers costs? 

    $37 - $70 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Street parking is available for guests.

    Address: 35 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby

    • Flinders Street train station is a 2-minute walk
    • A 7-minute walk from the restaurants and arts venues of Federation Square

    Contact: +61 3 9620 5100 

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 3.9/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4.5/5
    •  Booking.com: 8.5/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 9.5/10

    Amenities:

    • Free Breakfast 
    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities

    Flinders Backpackers

    Source: flindersbackpackers.com.au

    Summer House Backpackers

    Backpackers staying at Summer House Backpackers benefit from the low prices of hostel accommodations combined with the facilities of a hotel. This hostel is particularly popular among backpackers with a working holiday visa. There is an on-site bar and restaurant with billiards, a shared lounge area, and a rooftop terrace. Summer House offers a wide range of air conditioning accommodation, ranging from  -bed mixed and female dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms to private room en suites bathroom.

    How much Summer House Backpackers costs? 

    $34 - $55 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Street parking is available for guests.

    Address: 109 Barkly St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia

    Nearby

    • Acland Street is 7 minutes walk
    • Luna Park is 8 minutes walk
    • Fitzroy Street is 9 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Beach is 11 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Pier is 15 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9077 3462

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 3.5/5
    • Booking.com: 8.8/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 6.9/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Free Breakfast 
    • Laundry Facilities 
    • ATM on-site

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Summer House Backpackers

    The Village Melbourne

    The Village is one of the most affordable hostels in Melbourne. It has its own underground nightclub with its very own bar downstairs that hosts daily events that will ensure you create some memorable social experiences with other backpackers. This hostel offers a wide range of accommodations, ranging from 16 beds to 6 bed dormitory rooms with private bathrooms and private rooms with en suites.

    How much The Village Melbourne costs? 

    $26 - $95 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    • Wheelchair-accessible parking available
    • Offsite parking available (AUD 30 per day)

    Address: 167 Franklin St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby

    • Queen Victoria Market is 5 minutes walk
    • Melbourne City Baths is 5 minutes walk
    • Flagstaff Gardens is 7 minutes walk
    • Melbourne Central is 7 minutes walk
    • State Library of Victoria is 8 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9329 7525

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 3.3/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 3/5
    • Booking.com: 7/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 6.2/10

    Amenities:

    • Breakfast available
    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities
    • Massage parlor

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    The Village Melbourne

    Space Hotel Melbourne

    Space Hotel is Melbourne’s most luxurious budget hostel with the dorms all including personal reading lights, power points, and partitions between bunks, while the private rooms boast LCD TVs, audio docking stations, desks, wardrobes, and bar fridges. This hostel also has a gym to keep you in shape, a pool to relax in, and a bar/restaurant for dinner. Space offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from 6 bed mixed and female dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms to private room en suites bathroom.

    How much Space Hotel Melbourne costs? 

    $40 - $194 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Secure parking is available for $25 per day and is located 2 blocks from the hotel. 

    Address: 380 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby

    • Old Melbourne Gaol is a 1-minute walk
    • Melbourne City Baths is 4 minutes walk
    • State Library of Victoria is 5 minutes walk
    • Carlton Gardens is 6 minutes walk
    • Melbourne Central is 8 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9662 3888 

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.2/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4/5
    • Booking.com: 8.3/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 9.7/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities
    • Gym 
    • ATM on-site
    • Kitchenette

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Space Hotel Melbourne

    Best Hostels In Melbourne To Meet Solo Travelers

    Victoria Hotel Backpackers

    The Victoria Hotel is a meeting place for overseas travelers so the accommodation is only suitable for bonafide backpackers. You actually need an international passport for check-in. Thus, this hostel is a perfect place for solo travelers looking to meet and socialise with backpackers worldwide. With a capacity of 30 beds over 10 spacious bedrooms, 3 common areas, a fully equipped commercial style kitchen with a dining room and outside balcony, it's a great combination of privacy and socializing.

    How much Victoria Hotel Backpackers costs? 

    $39 - $43 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Address: 380 Victoria St, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia

    Nearby

    • Metro station is 5 minutes walk
    • Indian Museum is 8 minutes walk
    • The Vicotria Museum is 3km away

    Contact: +61 3 9388 0830

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.3/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4/5
    • Booking.com: 8.8/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 10/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Restaurant
    • Bar

    Victoria Hotel Backpakcers

    Source: victoriahotelbrunswick.com

    Melbourne City Backpackers

    Melbourne City Backpackers is a brand new hostel in the centre of Australia’s capital of culture. This hostel organises fun activities like BBQ nights and free sangria on Fridays, and movie nights in their common rooms, so there are always opportunities to meet people and socialise with other solo travelers. This hostel offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from the largest mixed dormitory with 16 beds to private rooms, all en suite with a bathroom.

    How much Melbourne City Backpackers costs? 

    $23 - $61 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    No on-site parking is available. 

    Address: 197-199 King St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby:

    • Bourke Street Mall is 11 minutes walk
    • Melbourne Central is 13 minutes walk
    • Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is 15 minutes walk
    • State Library of Victoria is 16 minutes walk
    • Queen Victoria Market is 17 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9670 1111

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 3.8/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 3/5
    • Booking.com: 7.6/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 7.4/10

    Amenities:

    • Free Breakfast
    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Melbourne City Backpackers

    Urban Central Accommodation

    Urban Central is a popular Melbourne backpacker hostel located near Melbourne city center and transportation links. There's always something happening at Urban Central. You can learn Latino dance on Thursdays or get dancing to live DJs every Friday. You can try your luck on the pool table in the common room or hit the bar with your fellow travelers. 

    The kitchen always has the basics for free, including pasta, rice, tea, and coffee. Rooms are cleaned each day and access is by key card, creating a clean and secure base for your Melbourne adventures.

    How much Urban Central Accommodation costs? 

    $21 - $115 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Paid public parking nearby, secured parking and street parking are available for guests.

    Address: 334 City Rd, Melbourne VIC 3006, Australia

    Nearby

    • Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is 6 minutes walk
    • Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is 7 minutes walk
    • Eureka Tower is 15 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Road is 20 minutes walk
    • Shrine of Remembrance is 3 minutes drive

    Contact+61 3 9693 3700

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 3.8/5
    • Tripadvisor Rating: 4/5
    • Hostelworld rating: 7.9/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Bar/Lounge
    • Billiards
    • Game Room
    • Laundry Facilities 
    • Luggage storage
    • 24-hour front desk

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Urban Central Accommodation

    Best Hostels In Melbourne For Partying

    Base St. Kilda

    Base St. Kilda is one of the best party hostels in Melbourne with an absolutely legendary in-house bar. Its Red Eye Bar is a popular spot for all backpackers in Melbourne, so you are bound to have fun with a young and international party crowd. This hostel arranges fancy dress thrift-shop competitions where the best bad-looking guests get a chance to become Queen or King of St. Kilda and win 75 dollars. This hostel offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from a mixed dormitory with 10 beds to private rooms, all en suite with a bathroom.

    How much Base St. Kilda costs? 

    $22 - $74 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    A parking garage and paid private parking on-site are available to guests.

    Address: 17 Carlisle St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia

    Nearby:

    • Luna Park is 4 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Beach is 7 minutes walk
    • Fitzroy Street is 12 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Road is 14 minutes walk
    • Albert Park Lake is 3 minutes drive

    Contact: +61 3 8598 6200

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4/5
    • Booking.com: 7.6/10 
    • Hostelworld rating: 9.3/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities
    • Bicycle and Car rental
    • ATM on-site
    • Bar/Lounge

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Base St. Kilda

    Nomads All Nations Hostel

    Nomads All Nations is one the best party hostels in Melbourne. You can join in on the constant buzzing at the bar or you can meet locals and travelers at one of their nightly events. This hostel always loves to boast fun and vibrant atmosphere. Nomads All Nations offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from a mixed dormitory with 10 beds to private rooms, all en suite with a shared bathroom.

    How much Nomads All Nations Hostel costs? 

    $26 - $63 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 02:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    There is no on-site parking available at Nomads All Nations. 

    Address: 2 Spencer St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby

    • SEA LIFE Melbourne is 3 minutes walk
    • Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is 4 minutes walk
    • Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is 6 minutes walk
    • Marvel Stadium is15 minutes walk
    • Bourke Street Mall is 18 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9620 1022

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 3.9/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 3/5
    • Booking.com: 7.3/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 8/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi 
    • Laundry Facilities
    • 24-hour front desk
    • Baggage storage
    • Bar/Lounge

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Nomads All Nations Hostel

    Overall Best Hostels In Melbourne

    United Backpackers

    United Backpackers is one of the best hostels that Melbourne has to offer. Its funky interior and laid-back atmosphere have travelers falling in love at first sight. Enjoy the free pancakes and fuel up for a day of free city tours, or step out of the hostel right into the centre and explore the city and its sights on your own. United offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from 10 bed mixed dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms to private room en suites bathrooms.

    How much United Backpackers costs? 

    $32 - $79 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 01:00 PM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Offsite parking available (AUD $25 per night)

    Address: 6 Degraves St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby

    • Forum Theatre is 4 minutes walk
    • Australian Centre for the Moving Image is 8 minutes walk
    • Melbourne Central is 12 minutes walk
    • Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is 15 minutes walk
    • Queen Victoria Market is 19 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9654 2616

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.3/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4.5/5
    • Booking.com: 8.5/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 7.6/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Bar
    • Laundry Facilities
    • Baggage storage
    • 24-hour front desk
    • Entertainment staff

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    United Backpackers

    Melbourne Central YHA

    Melbourne Central YHA is one of the overall best hostels in the city. This hostel offers amazing views of the Central Business District and offers a wide range of activities, including movie nights, walking tours, pub crawls and table tennis. Central YHA also has a wide range of air conditioned accommodations, ranging from 8 bed mixed and female dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms to private room en suites bathrooms.

    How much Melbourne Central YHA costs? 

    $28 - $90 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 01:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    No on-site parking available.

    Address: 562 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

    Nearby

    • Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is 5 minutes walk
    • Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is 6 minutes walk
    • Eureka Tower is 14 minutes walk
    • Bourke Street Mall is 17 minutes walk
    • Australian Centre for the Moving Image is 20 minutes walk

    Contact: +61 3 9621 2523

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.1/5
    • Tripadvisor Rating: 4/5
    • Booking.com: 8.2/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 9.9/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi 
    • Laundry Facilities
    • Bar/Lounge
    • Baggage storage
    • Game room
    • BBQ Facilities
    • 24-hour front desk

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Melbourne Central YHA

    Barkly Backpackers

    Barkly Backpackers, a budget backpackers hostel in Melbourne's St Kilda suburb, is a fantastic choice for those who like to combine work and leisure. Computers and free WiFi are available in the common room. You'll also find plenty of quiet spaces, like the lounge, where you can sit quietly and get your mind into work mode. 

    Barkly Backpackers offers communal kitchens where you can eat easily without getting outside. Guests can make use of the in-room refrigerators and microwaves. Tea and coffee are free too.

    Dorms are spacious and bright, with mixed and female-only rooms are available. Guests have access to shared bathrooms. Bathrooms include showers. 

    How much Barkly Backpackers costs? 

    $12 - $39 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 01:00 PM, and check-out is until 10:30 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Free public parking nearby and street parking are available for guests.

    Address: 102 Barkly St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia

    Nearby

    • Luna Park is 7 minutes walk
    • Fitzroy Street is 9 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Road is 10 minutes walk
    • St Kilda Beach is 11 minutes walk
    • Alfred Hospital is 3 minutes drive

    Contact+61 399 137 286

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 3.9/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4/5
    • Booking.com: 7.2/10 
    • Hostelworld rating: 7.1/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi
    • Tea/Coffee
    • Board Games
    • Microwave and Refrigerator
    • Baggage storage
    • Laundry Facilities

    Book This Hostel on GAFFL

    Barkly Backpackers

    The Nunnery

    The Nunnery was built in a vintage 19th-century building giving it rustic vibes with a modern Melbourne charm, making the hostel an absolutely unique place to stay. It offers free group events every day – from movie nights to BBQs, pub crawls, and free breakfast every morning. The Nunnery offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from mixed and female dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms to private rooms en suites bathrooms.

    How much The Nunnery costs? 

    $45 - $73 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 01:00 PM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Street parking is available for guests.

    Address: 116 Nicholson St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia

    Nearby

    • Melbourne Museum is a 4 minutes walk 
    • Queen Victoria Market is 2.1 km
    • National Gallery of Victoria is 2.7 km

    Contact: +61 1800 032 635

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.1/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 4/5
    • Booking.com: 7.8/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 8.5/10

    Amenities:

    • Free Breakfast 
    • Free WiFi
    • Laundry Facilities

    The Nunnery

    Landing Pads Brunswick

    Landing Pads Brunswick is an easy-going, open-minded hostel, specifically set up to be a home away from home experience for independent solo travelers on working holiday visas. This hostel is a perfect place to make friends so that you don’t feel lonely and they also help holidaymakers find work. Landing Pads Brunswick offers a wide range of air-conditioned accommodations, ranging from 10 bed mixed and 6-bed female dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms to private room en suites bathrooms.

    How much Landing Pads Brunswick costs? 

    $13 - $52 USD (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room). Contact hostel to check the latest price. 

    Check-in and Check-out

    Check-in is from 10:30 AM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM. 

    Car Parking

    Free parking is available for guests.

    Address: 13 Blyth St, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia

    Nearby

    • Melbourne Zoo is 5 minutes drive
    • The University of Melbourne is 5 minutes drive
    • Royal Melbourne Hospital is 5 minutes drive
    • Royal Women's Hospital is 6 minutes drive
    • Royal Children's Hospital is 6 minutes drive

    Contact: +61 488 467 835

    Rating:

    • Google Review: 4.7/5
    • Tripadvisor rating: 5/5
    • Booking.com: 9.5/10
    • Hostelworld rating: 9.1/10

    Amenities:

    • Free WiFi 
    • Baggage storage
    • Outdoor dining area
    • BBQ Facilities
    • Private check-in / check-out
    • Board games/puzzles

    Landing Pads Brunswick
    Source: landingpads.com.au

    By now we have given you fifteen awesome places to stay on a budget in Melbourne. Are there any Melbourne hostels you have stayed at, we have not included? Let us know in the comments, we'd love to hear your thoughts.

    Planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand soon? Here are some helpful articles, itineraries, and destination guides worth checking out. 


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