Trying to stay fit in Melbourne as a student isn’t exactly straightforward. Between rent, parking fines, and $7 oat lattes, a gym membership feels like a luxury. Letting your health slide isn’t the answer either. Being “young” doesn’t actually make you invincible, no matter what your 19-year-old metabolism once told you.
Here’s how to keep active in Melbourne without setting fire to your bank account, especially as a (broke) student
1. Uni Gyms: Cheap and Close Enough
Most universities have gyms located on or near their campuses. They’re not glamorous, but they’re cheap, and you don’t need glamour when you’re there to sweat, not film TikToks. At around $30 to $70 a month, it’s hard to argue.
Group classes are often included as well. Boxing, yoga, HIIT… if you’re hopeless at motivating yourself, having someone bark instructions at you for 45 minutes works wonders.
2. Outdoor Gyms: Free, Slightly Questionable, But Effective
Every second park in Melbourne seems to have outdoor gym equipment these days. It’s not going to make you look like Zyzz, but if you use the pull-up bars and dip stations properly, you’ll build strength. The gear might feel a bit flimsy, but the price tag makes it hard to complain.
3. Sports Clubs: Exercise That Doesn’t Feel Like Exercise
If you can’t stand the gym, join a sports club. Melbourne unis have everything from soccer to martial arts to ultimate frisbee (yes, it still exists). It’s exercise disguised as fun, and you’ll meet people who aren’t just stressing about the same assignments as you. Memberships are usually cheap, and the regular training schedule forces you to show up.
4. Walk More, Tram Less
If you’re jumping on the tram for two stops, you’re not saving time; you’re being lazy. Melbourne’s inner suburbs are ridiculously walkable. Walking to and from campus or between suburbs is free cardio. It also saves you from watching your Myki balance vanish every week.
5. Home Workouts: Aldi, Kmart, and Creativity
Kmart and Aldi occasionally stock weights, resistance bands, and yoga mats. Grab a couple and you’ve got yourself a DIY home gym. If you can’t afford even that, bodyweight workouts still do the trick. Push-ups, squats, planks… It’s not rocket science. Your housemates might laugh when you’re doing burpees in the lounge room, but they’ll be the ones wheezing after two flights of stairs.
6. Diet: Don’t Undo Your Work
You can’t train properly if you eat like rubbish. Bulk buy basics like rice, pasta, oats, frozen veg, and chicken when it’s on special. Throw in beans, lentils, and tinned tuna for cheap protein. It’s not glamorous, but your body won’t care.
And no, Uber Eats doesn’t count as meal prep.
Final Thoughts..
Melbourne is getting expensive, no arguments there. Staying fit doesn’t have to be. Use the uni gyms, make use of the outdoor equipment, join a club, walk more, and cook like an adult. None of it is complicated; it just requires consistency.
At the end of the day, your body doesn’t care if you trained at a flashy city gym or did push-ups in your bedroom. It just wants you to move, so you can avoid the freshman 15.
Inside The University of Melbourne 