Learning to dive in Sydney with us costs $895 for the PADI Open Water Diver course. That price covers your PADI eLearning, three full days of training, four ocean dives, all your scuba equipment and your PADI certification. The only extras are the personal-fit items (mask, snorkel, boots and fins), which you can hire for $25 a set or buy.
Below you'll find every course price we charge, from a first try-dive to the Instructor Development Course, what each one includes, and what it really costs to go all the way from beginner to Divemaster or PADI Instructor. Prices are in Australian dollars and current as at October 2026.
How Much Is the PADI Open Water Course in Sydney?
At Dive Centre Bondi the PADI Open Water Diver course is $895, and that's the full course fee for a standard place. You do the theory at home through PADI eLearning (most people take 8 to 10 hours over a few evenings), then spend three full days with us: one pool day in a heated 50m pool and two ocean days at the reefs of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
We run the course over three days rather than two. That's a deliberate choice: more time in the water, more practice on each skill, and room for people who learn at different paces. We also cap every group at five students per instructor, where the PADI maximum in open water is eight. When you finish, you're a PADI Open Water Diver, certified to dive to 18 metres anywhere in the world.
A few other ways to do the course:
- Private course, from $1,995: one-on-one, on your own days and at your own pace.
- Started somewhere else? You can finish your certification with us. The Open Water course page lists the options for each stage.
What's Included in the $895, and What Isn't
Included
- PADI eLearning
- Three full days of practical instruction
- Four ocean dives in Sydney
- All scuba equipment: BCD, regulator, tank, weights and a 7mm wetsuit
- Your PADI certification fees and card
- A Dive Centre Bondi T-shirt
- 10% off everything in our shop while you're a student
Not included
- Mask, snorkel, boots and fins. These are personal-fit items. Hire a mask and snorkel for $25 and boots and fins for $25, or buy your own in our Bondi shop with your 10% student discount. Buy your mask from us for the course and we waive the boots and fins hire, so there's no rental to pay at all. Our guide to what gear you need for the Open Water course explains what's worth buying first.
Every Dive Course Price at Dive Centre Bondi (2026)
| Course | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Discover Scuba | $245 | A guided first ocean dive, no experience needed, all gear included |
| PADI Open Water Diver | $895 | Your first certification, to 18 metres |
| Scuba Refresher | $275 | A guided refresher for certified divers who haven't dived in a while |
| PADI Advanced Open Water | $695 | Five adventure dives, including two deeper dives |
| PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver | $295 | Longer no-decompression times on enriched air ($195 when added to Advanced Open Water) |
| PADI Dry Suit Diver | $395 | Stay warm and dive all year round |
| Emergency First Response (First Aid) | $195 | First aid and CPR, which you need for Rescue Diver and Divemaster |
| PADI Rescue Diver | $595 | Preventing and managing dive emergencies |
| PADI Divemaster | $1,645 | The first professional level |
| PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) | $3,395 | Ten days of instructor training (PADI's exam and registration fees are extra, see below) |
We also run GUE courses, from GUE Performance Diver at $795 and GUE Fundamentals at $1,145, plus technical and sidemount courses. Each course page lists exactly what's included.
How to Compare Scuba Course Prices in Sydney
Compare what each price includes, not just the headline number. Two courses with the same name can include very different amounts of time and support, so ask every dive centre the same questions:
- Is PADI eLearning included, or is it a separate purchase?
- Are the PADI certification fees included?
- How many days in the water, and are all four ocean dives part of the price?
- How many students per instructor? PADI allows up to eight in open water. Ask what the centre actually runs.
- What equipment is included, and how thick is the wetsuit?
- What do you need to bring or hire, and what does that cost?
Our answers are all on this page. For a longer checklist, read our guide on how to choose a dive shop in Sydney. If you're ready to compare dates, you can book your Open Water course in Sydney directly on the course page.
What It Costs to Keep Going: Advanced, Rescue and Divemaster
After Open Water, most divers do Advanced Open Water ($695), then Rescue Diver ($595). Rescue Diver needs a first aid and CPR course from the last 24 months, so if you don't have one, add Emergency First Response for $195. You can also add the Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver course to Advanced Open Water for $195 instead of $295, and do your deep dive on nitrox.
The PADI Divemaster course is $1,645 on its own. To start, you need to be a Rescue Diver aged 18 or over, with first aid and CPR from the last 24 months, a doctor's medical clearance and at least 40 logged dives. You need 60 logged dives to finish. If you're short of 40, you can dive with us at a discounted rate while you build your numbers: $50 for a double dive instead of $230.
If you're planning to go all the way, the Divemaster package bundles Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, our Divemaster internship and the Enriched Air (Nitrox) course for $2,645, plus a $200 gift voucher. Bought separately, Advanced, Rescue and Divemaster come to $2,935, or $3,230 with Nitrox. Already hold Advanced Open Water? The package is $2,140 with a $100 gift voucher.
What It Costs to Become a PADI Instructor
The PADI Instructor Development Course at Dive Centre Bondi is $3,395. Two fees are paid directly to PADI on top of that: the Instructor Examination fee ($1,575) and the EFR Instructor registration fee ($277). That makes the real all-in cost $5,247, and that's the number to compare.
The $3,395 covers ten full days of training, all theory materials, the EFR Instructor course, three specialty instructor certifications (Enriched Air Nitrox, Equipment Specialist and Emergency Oxygen Provider) and all training equipment. IDC candidates also get free instructor trainee dives from the moment their deposit is paid, which matters because you need 100 logged dives to sit the Instructor Examination. Every candidate we've trained has passed the PADI Instructor Examination. Our guide to where to do a PADI IDC in Australia covers the full pathway.
The full pathway, added up
| Goal | Courses | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Certified diver | Open Water | $895 |
| Divemaster, from scratch | Open Water + Divemaster package + Emergency First Response | $3,735 |
| PADI Instructor, from scratch | All of the above + IDC + PADI exam and EFR Instructor fees | $8,982 |
These totals cover course fees. Your own mask, snorkel, boots and fins and the extra dives you log along the way sit on top.
Ways to Keep the Cost Down
- Try it first. Discover Scuba ($245) is a guided ocean dive with every piece of equipment included, right down to the mask and fins. It's a good way to find out whether you love it before committing to the full course.
- Buy a mask, skip the hire. A well-fitting mask is the one piece of gear worth owning from day one. Buy it from us for your course and we waive the boots and fins hire, and your 10% student discount applies in the shop.
- Bundle your next courses. The Nitrox add-on saves $100 with Advanced Open Water, and the Divemaster package saves $290 on the three core courses.
- Finish what you started. If you've already done part of your Open Water course elsewhere, pay only for the part you still need.
FAQ: Dive Course Costs in Sydney
How much does the PADI Open Water course cost in Sydney? At Dive Centre Bondi it's $895. That includes PADI eLearning, three full days of training, four ocean dives, all scuba equipment and your PADI certification. Mask, snorkel, boots and fins are personal items: hire them for $25 a set or bring your own. Buy your mask from us and there's no hire fee for boots and fins.
Do I need to buy my own scuba gear for the Open Water course? No. Your BCD, regulator, tank, weights and 7mm wetsuit are included. You only need a mask, snorkel, boots and fins, which you can hire for $25 a set or buy in our Bondi shop with a 10% student discount. If you buy your mask from us, boots and fins hire is free.
Are there any extra costs on top of the course price? Only the hire of your personal gear: $50 for all four items, or nothing if you buy your mask from us. eLearning and certification fees are included.
Why does the Open Water course at Dive Centre Bondi cost $895? It runs over three full days rather than two, with no more than five students per instructor, where the PADI maximum in open water is eight. Training is in a heated 50m pool and on Sydney's Eastern Suburbs reefs, and eLearning, equipment and certification are all included.
How much does it cost to become a PADI Divemaster? The Divemaster course alone is $1,645. The Divemaster package, covering Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Divemaster, the internship and Nitrox, is $2,645. You need 40 logged dives to start and 60 to finish.
How much does it cost to become a PADI Instructor? The IDC at Dive Centre Bondi is $3,395. The PADI Instructor Examination ($1,575) and EFR Instructor registration ($277) are paid to PADI, so the all-in cost is $5,247.
Can I try scuba diving before paying for the full course? Yes. Discover Scuba is $245 for a guided ocean dive with all equipment included. No experience is needed, and it's an easy way to find out whether diving is for you before booking the Open Water course.
Ready to start? Choose your dates for our PADI Open Water course, or come and talk to us at 198 Bondi Road. We're open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 5pm and weekends 8am to 5pm.
