<p>Hey guys
I go to University of Melbourne in Australia but will hopefully be doing exchange at USC fall 2010
Wondered if any of you could give me an ideas of living expenses
I roughly know what my rent will be like.
Estimate of how must you guys spend on electricity and food over a semester?
How do internet and phone charges work at the apartments?
Also would be good to know of cheap and reliable mobile phone service providers in LA…
Oh and any favourite parts of north, Central or South America you think I should visit
Having a hard time deciding where to travel after exchange! lol
Thanks 
Jasmine</p>
<p>Popular cell phone providers here: T-mobile, Sprint, AT&T, Verizon. Not sure if any of them let you do less than 1 year contracts or month to month though.</p>
<p>If I was an exchange student here, I’d do a road trip up the west coast. LA -> pacific coast highway up north to SF, then Portland, Seattle, and end in Vancouver. I spent a month in Peru last year and loved it. Costa Rica is also amazing and quite cheap for travelers.</p>
<p>@Kulakai I’m from Peru! Where did you go? </p>
<p>@jasminee sorry to interrupt your thread :P</p>
<p>Lima, Pisco, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno, Hucacachina Oasis, Chivay, Sibayo, hiked the Inca trail, Cusco, Puerto Maldonado. It was a pretty thorough trip and I loved it however I can never eat lomo saltado ever again cause I ate so much of it >_></p>
<p>hey thanks for the advice
My heart was set on South America but it’s not possible to do the whole country on a poor student’s income! Think I’ll wait til I’m rich!
Not booked yet, but planning on doing 45 day tour of Central America and 4 day tour of New York.
Hopefully road trip to Las Vagas and if I can find the time (and someone to drive me): Seattle… massive Greys Anatomy Fan 
Peru sounds incredible!</p>
<p>hahaha Peru is great! great food too! too bad you can’t eat more lomo saltado Kulakai :P</p>
<p>I make up for it by consuming large amounts of Inca Kola :)</p>
<p>Honestly you could probably do 45 days in S. America for the same price as 4 days in nyc! It is dirt cheap if you backpack and travel on local transportation (will help to know some spanish though). Seattle is great too as I used to live there before moving to Las Vegas.</p>
<p>Living in USC housing (which I think you are requred to do) will cost you anything from $2800 to $3400, including expenses like gas, electricity, etc. As for food, through a combination of grocery shopping and cooking at home, and eating food on and around campus, I spend maybe $250 a month?</p>
<p>Living in USC Housing is not required for (most) exchange students and many of them live off campus. Depending on how well you want to live and if you want roommates or whatever, expect rent between $550-$1000 a month within walking distance of campus (I just signed a lease for a studio for $795 a month, four blocks from campus, I think that’s fairly average). I don’t really know about utilities because they vary a lot based on how much you use and who you rent from (all my utilities except internet are included), but expect $50-$100 a month. You usually have to arrange internet for yourself (your landlord can help you with this), unless you have USC housing, then it will be included. Virtually no USC students use a landline regularly, so just get a cell phone. Food is up to you, but I spend $40-60 dollars a week on food. You can live off less, many spend more.</p>
<p>I would also suggest to try to get football tickets. You might not be a big fan of American football not but it’s a big part of life at USC in the fall.</p>
<p>Good luck from a fellow traveler,</p>
<p>Rick</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your help
Yes I tend to dislike sport but I think I’m definately gunna try get into the whole American football thing… all part of the experience :)</p>