Thinking about Moving from Sydney to Melbourne

moneytomyway on 21/02/2023 - 14:52
Last edited 21/02/2023 - 15:21 by 1 other user

Hi all, we are thinking to move from Sydney to Melbourne, and keen for some wisdom from you.

The main reason is simply we could get a better house with our budget in Melbourne 20km east of CBD with nice schools while we would get something 40km to the CBD in west/northwest Sydney with hardly any local development.

We make a bit more than 200k combined and both are working remotely.

Being in Sydney since 2017, I personally have only been to Melbourne for work so I wouldn't say know a great deal of Melbourne. All I know is they don't have many beaches and good weather, and people are more chilled.

Thanks for reading, any input would be greatly appreciated.

Home & Garden

Comments

      • gimme on 03/03/2023 - 08:02

        Under a kfc

  • KYoohu on 23/02/2023 - 19:50

    I heard the food in melbourne is better than sydney - can anyone confirm this? (sorry hijacking thread but seriously curious)

    • Ghost47 on 24/02/2023 - 17:03

      I’ve eaten out quite a lot in both cities (mainly in the suburbs though) and honestly Sydney has pretty good food. I haven’t eaten out a lot in the CBDs of both cities.

      I wouldn’t say the difference is really that big.

    • AloMel on 25/02/2023 - 05:57

      Agree with Ghost47, I lived in both cities too and they both offer good quality food. I am not sure why Melbourne kept saying their food is better. I think Sydneysiders tend less bother to argue with Melbournians. Seafood quality though, Sydney is so much better!

  • Fobsessive on 23/02/2023 - 20:03

    Melbourne has more metalcore shows (better night life) than Sydney

  • serpserpserp on 23/02/2023 - 21:12
    +1

    Having lived at least a decade in both cities as a full adult, it'll really depend on your interests. Both cities have their pros and cons so what do you want to know for your situation? Ask away!

    For the record though, love Sydney. The only thing holding me back from living there is money.

  • kiwiyonip on 23/02/2023 - 22:31
    +1

    I would suggest Perth. Or New Zealand if you're keen to move overseas. Australia is rubbish.

  • living4music on 24/02/2023 - 00:05

    Please don’t consider Brisbane. We are now overcrowded with people moving from Sydney/Melbourne in the last few years because they don’t like living there anymore.

    • Mozzmanau on 24/02/2023 - 09:46

      Will be from the mass exodus from Melbourne 😂

      • Jazzyau1973 on 25/02/2023 - 06:18
        +1

        Nope. Now quiet. Maybe Southerners moved back.

  • RedDevil860 on 24/02/2023 - 06:55
    +1

    I moved from Sydney to Melbourne. I love it here. Everything is very accessible and not as busy as Sydney. Weather is something you just get used to. It is not as bad as people make it out to be. The peninsula and great ocean road have good beaches. As others mentioned its a personal preference.

    • Mozzmanau on 24/02/2023 - 09:45
      -5

      Wait till you have to pay back all the debt Dan keeps building up. Victoria will be FKed. You obviously didn't grow up here in the early 90s.

  • FocusRider on 24/02/2023 - 08:08
    +2

    Sydney.. where all freeways are tolled even if you’re 200kms from the city

    • RolandWaites on 24/02/2023 - 09:42
      +1

      Don't forget the NSW Libs' generous election pledge — up to 40% back on your yearly toll costs… once you've dumped at least $340 on tolls.

      • Mozzmanau on 24/02/2023 - 09:44
        -1

        Victoria has heaps of tolls. All our main freeways are tolled. It was labor that extended them and introduced more in Victoria so get off you LNP troll horse

        • RolandWaites on 24/02/2023 - 15:40
          +1

          Hey I think the VIC tolls are bullshit too! I just think the election pledge is pretty… uninspiring… especially given NSW Labor went far more aggressive with a $60p/w cap (which is still a ludicrous price to drive on roads).

    • Mozzmanau on 24/02/2023 - 09:43
      -1

      And they're not in Victoria? 😂😂😂😂

  • usbc activist on 24/02/2023 - 09:17

    While I did not move, many of my friends who are similar to us who migrated from abroad to Australia, moved to Melbourne. They are very happy. One particular guy who is into sports is so happy about the decision.

  • Mozzmanau on 24/02/2023 - 09:41
    -4

    Melbourne or should I say Victoria is getting more and more expensive and with this moron Dan in charge we are going to be swimming in debt. It's estimated to reach $300 billion once he finishes building his train set. There's going to be massive tax increases and cost of living is continuing to soar. It will be more expensive than Sydney soon because of the tax hikes and new taxes Dan keeps hitting us with. Add on top of that all the laws the Greenies want to introduce, Victoria is DOOMED!!! Don't forget the jab mandates. If you want to work in the medical field expect to keep having to get jabbed with experimental vaccines that don't work, just to keep your job. The government here is corrupt AF and don't care about small business so if you want to start a business here, don't be surprised if it gets destroyed by lunatic Dan.

    Also keep in mind we've had over 45,000 people leave Victoria in the past 2 years. Says a lot.

    • greatlamp on 25/02/2023 - 05:44
      +2

      What a lunatic building infrastructure. Much better when the politicians just give out tax cuts to the rich. The poor don't seem to notice anyway.

      Of course people are leaving, house prices are too expensive. If you are at retirement age you can move to QLD and have $1million left over from the house you bought 40 years ago. They aren't leaving because of politics

    • [Deactivated] on 25/02/2023 - 05:58
      -1

      That guy is so dishonest that I don't know why anyone could willingly move to live under his reign. I don't know the woman, but I saw a video about him lying and making false accusations about some Liberal MP I think it was (I don't vote Liberal). He completely misrepresented what she said and his mind control victims lap it up like giddy sheepdogs eating fresh cow dung.

      I can understand different views/opinions, but when someone proves themselves over and over again to be a filthy liar, how can they be trusted on anything!?

      I went back through my viewing history and found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrXtC_jf5jI

  • bigjobme860 on 24/02/2023 - 10:24
    +2

    I grew up in Adelaide, but came to Melbourne for work (20 years ago). I now am able to do remote + flexible work, so would LOVE to move back to Adelaide. House prices there have risen, but are still mebbe 1/2 the price of here, the beaches are awesome. Weather is mostly decent.

    Peak hour traffic there makes me LOL

    I think Adelaide is a great place to raise a kid, better than either Melbourne or Sydney. End up with a much more well rounded kid, rather than obsession on money + ladder climbing. Wide range of people, not as superficial as fashion + money obsessed in big cities. Lots of choice of schools. Watersport and nature really easy.

    I do really like Melbourne, but I was fortunate to buy a house 20 years ago. I can't imagine how anyone affords a house in the big cities these days. If you live in a place like Adelaide/Perth etc, but are getting east cost remote work $, you will have more disposable income to spend on house, kids, fun, holidays etc…

    HTH

    • Ghost47 on 24/02/2023 - 17:06

      Yep. Adelaide is definitely up and coming and a lovely city. OP should move there, Melbourne needs less people not more. Population growth is ruining Sydney and Melbourne.

  • portard on 24/02/2023 - 11:34

    Melbourne.
    No.
    Bin.
    Chickens.

    • SimAus007 on 25/02/2023 - 12:38

      I live in Melbourne now and love to see the Ibis, AKA "Bin Chickens" in Sydney and even more prevalent in Brisbane/GC.
      People need to embrace the bin chicken I think 🤣

  • christopher8827 on 24/02/2023 - 11:52
    +6

    Having lived in Sydney for most of life and then Melbourne and a bit of Brisbane - probably Melbourne has the best food / nightlife and interesting stuff (ie. festivals / markets) out of the three cities. Melbourne's CBD isn't as dead as Sydney's and a lot more people live in the CBD too, compared to Sydney's. I think Brisbane is a bit boring tbh (no beaches / horrible public transport / Sunnybank is very car dependent), and I know a ton of friends that moved to Melbourne to avoid the humidity and to have a bit more of an active social life. Brisbane is a country town pretending to be a city - as a mate put it.

    The things that sold Melbourne for me: Melbourne does have cool suburbs such as Brunswick, Fitzroy and Carlton (Little Italy) and the most active Chinatown in the country. Swanston St & Melbourne Central & Southbank are super busy as well. On the southside, you do have a ton of places such as Albert Park Lake (which turns into a racecourse for the Australian Grand Prix) and St Kilda Botanical Gardens, Prahan's Chapel St, etc. its super leafy and you get a village vibe. Beaches eg. Brighton, Sandringham and South Melbourne are much more accessible in Melbourne than for a person living in the Inner West in Sydney. Also, you can cycle to Flinders St station from St Kilda in 20 minutes - the biking infrastructure is leagues ahead of Sydney.

    I moved out of Sydney because its expensive; too many tolls and public transport isn't as great. There's only so much I can stare at the Harbour Bridge haha. Sydney has way too many skyscrapers but its just so sterile - the only cool place I hung out 99% of the time was The Rocks. It also takes me an hour to go everywhere because how terrible Parramatta Rd is. You do get a sense maybe more things might be happening in the suburbs such as Chatwood - but I don't think anyone really made a trek to socialise after working in Wynyard daily.

    • Pete10001 on 25/02/2023 - 23:05

      Not sure when you last lived in Brisbane, but from the Brisbane suburb I live in it's less than an hour to some of the best beaches in Australia (ie on the Gold Coast). I'm sure for many people in Sydney and Melbourne it would take at least that long to get to a beach as well. As for public transport, in most suburbs including mine there's a bus service that goes to nearby shopping centres and or to the CBD every 15 minutes. No different to my experience taking public transport from Wynyard to Castle Hill recently. My biggest gripe with Brisbane is the weather as it can get very humid. Personally I love some of the coastal regions between Sydney and Brisbane, although Adelaide is also great. Sydney and Melbourne are just too crowded.

  • leelemon on 24/02/2023 - 12:37
    +1

    As someone who lives in Sydney, I am jealous of Melbourne's
    - straight wide roads (Sydney feels like a maze sometimes..)
    - more accessible public transport
    - cheaper houses (at least compared to Sydney)
    - cooler weather

    …but mine and my partner's family lives here, and we're looking to start a family. As annoying as family is sometimes, I can't imagine moving too far away from them once kids come into the picture. As someone who didn't grow up around mine, it always sucked when everyone's grandparents and cousins would come to 'important milestone' events and I would have no one lol. My friends would always have fun stories from visiting family on the weekends or after school. They also had someone to support and talk with them if they weren't comfortable telling something to their immediate family.
    No judgement to you OP or anyone else that has (every situation is different), but it's def something to consider before you decide to go.

    • try2bhelpful on 24/02/2023 - 12:52
      +1

      Never underestimate family being around you. Particularly what your parent’s feelings are. My man was working in America when 911 happened and we decided to stay until December to let it settle down a bit. I thought my mum was OK with this decision but she gave me this huge hug when we caught up at Christmas time. Whatever the OP decides to do he needs to make sure he has regular meet ups with the family.

      • SimAus007 on 25/02/2023 - 12:46
        +1

        Or close friends, just as important sometimes, or more important for some people.
        I consider my close friends as family, many of them are more pleasing to be around 🤣

  • Pudina Chutney on 24/02/2023 - 14:38
    +3

    Why not Cockburn WA?

  • megaalc on 24/02/2023 - 16:58

    Similar thinking/situation, but considering moving to Sunshine Coast instead. PS I WFH all the time

  • Nost on 24/02/2023 - 20:05
    +2

    Personally, all of what Sydney has to offer, I'm not interested in.

    Beaches, trails, hotter weather are not for me. Give me theatre, concerts, rainforests, mountains and snowfields instead.

  • Iost on 24/02/2023 - 20:55
    +1

    I have lived in both and enjoyed both/hated both for different reasons:
    - Housing is cheaper both buying and definitely renting. Hell it's cheaper in Melbourne to rent than it is in Mooloolaba
    - I once heard someone say that live in Sydney if you love doing things outdoors and aren't overly social. Live in Melbourne if you love doing things indoors and are very social and I have found that to be really true.
    - Melbourne's public transport wins
    - Melbourne's winters are brutal. I got Seasonal depression for the first 2 years but Vit D tablets helped and then adapted. The winters feel like they can go forever, I think this year it felt like it went for 6 months.
    - Sydney beaches easily win
    - They are both great places to live, it just depends on what you want

    All that being said, I'm looking to move somewhere between Sydney and the Gold Coast myself

    • SimAus007 on 25/02/2023 - 13:00

      Yeah, all depends on lifestyle, age, friends/family also.
      No right or wrong for those with an unbiased and open mind.

  • AloMel on 25/02/2023 - 05:44
    +3

    I moved from Sydney North Shore to Melbourne South Eastern area with 2 little kids 5 years ago. Whilst the weather here is crap but affordability is much better. For a growing family, Melbourne it is less crowded, good schools, less parking problem (though might be wrong in a few years time) and driving kids around doesn't take that long. Average from place to place in Sydney is around 1 hour, for Melbourne it is around 30 mins. Sydney is prettier than Melbourne city but Victoria countryside has more to offer than NSW. Beaches though on the other hands are more pristine in Sydney. Seafood quality also, Sydney wins hands down. All in all, we are happy we made the move. From a shoebox apartment, we are now in a quarter acre block land All the best to you!

  • [Deactivated] on 25/02/2023 - 05:44
    -1

    I couldn't live in either of those s___holes. Once out of Sydney city maybe… seems to be some nice leafy suburbs. But most of it, with the drugs, thieves, crime families, biker wars spraying bullets across main roads full of traffic at each other or in airports, cafe terrorists, years of lockdowns with a flying elephant dictator citing pseudoscientific nonsense in one case… Pass!

    If I could work remotely I'd be heading north somewhere like Foster, Port Macquarie, etc. Less flooding, blackouts, trees coming down in freak storms, you get to live near (or on!) the beach for le$$, far less traffic, but all the same amenities like supermarkets, movie theaters, AldiColesWorths, etc, and get to pay off your house sooner so buy multiple investment properties instead of lucky to ever pay off just the one you live in…

  • Unacceptable on 25/02/2023 - 10:43
    +1

    I had lived in Sydney and moved to Melbourne for uni and lived for 3 years, the hay fever got me so severe and I moved back to Sydney.

  • Commander Shepard on 25/02/2023 - 12:11
    +1

    Travelled and stayed in every captial city now for a reasonable amount of time. Family also grew up in Sydney, Melbourne, and eventually settled in Adelaide.

    It depends on what you're into.
    But I have really come to appreciate Adelaide. Great weather, great beaches, short trips to anywhere, good hilly roads if you're into cars/motorbikes. Great mountain biking scene with so many trails a very short distance away. Good kayaking locations and good golf courses. Food/Wine/Gin is good if your into that. House prices are cheap compared to VIC/NSW. If your cashed up, you can live very well here.

    I don't care for CBD ammenties or nightlife, we live in the Southern Suburbs. But the Fringe and V8 supercars is good. And the Adelaide Oval is a great venue and its quite pleasent around the river.

    Perth is too flat. Darwin is to bloody hot, but I love Litchfield National Park. Canberra doesn't have the beach, however your close to Thredbo. Brisbane is really nice and also has some great places to travel too within QLD, however has had a tonne of people more there recently.

    Find out whats important to you. And choose what ticks the most boxes. For me its Adelaide followed by Brisbane or Canberra. I do want to move to NZ for a bit in the future however.

    • SimAus007 on 25/02/2023 - 13:07
      +1

      Yeah, I lived in Sydney all my life, until 6 years ago when I moved to Melbourne and don't regret it one bit (I like the cooler months and embrace winter fashion, it's can be nice to have a proper change of seasons).
      Now that I'm getting older, I can see the attraction to Adelaide, and I mean that in the most sincere way, not as an insult.
      There are some beautiful places in and near to Adelaide, and property prices are attractive for Sydney and Melbourne folks.
      Depends on your lifestyle naturally, but we all have our own personal preferences. I'm glad I moved as I couldn't imagine living in one city for my entire life, that's just not for me, it's good to experience different places and live as locals do, not just as a tourist, which is a very different experience.
      I even want to live in Sao Paulo for a while, which is where my better half is from and I've visited 3 times and absolutely love their culture. I think that'd be fun for a few years :)

  • drfuzzy on 25/02/2023 - 13:27
    +1

    The question is not Sydney vs Melbourne.
    The question is Australia vs overseas.

    • SimAus007 on 25/02/2023 - 14:29

      To those with an open mind and ready to truly try some different, perhaps to learn more about a new culture, absolutely, I agree.
      There is more to the world than Australia, places you might even find more interesting :)
      Australia is incredible, but so are.many other countries and exploring is such an engaging way to educate yourself in many aspects.
      So many of us are just too afraid of stepping outside our comfort zone, I used to be one of these people.

      Great point.

  • hopper on 25/02/2023 - 15:59

    Thinking of moving to brisbane from Melbourne… But I hate geckos 🦎.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 25/02/2023 - 16:09
    -1

    Melbourne is a dive under Dan Andrews i dont recommend it to anyone

    • SimAus007 on 25/02/2023 - 18:29
      -2

      You so realise the majority of people couldn't care less about what political party is in power when selecting their destination to live?
      I've not once heard anyone say, oh I won't live in that X state/place because X party is in power.

  • Eeples on 25/02/2023 - 17:30
    +1

    The number of posters here dumping on Dan Andrews is weird.

    Plenty of cities did it bad during the lockdowns. Ffs get over it and move on. It seems the majority of Victorian’s have afterall.

    I was going to suggest these posters vote him out but wiki tells me he won an election last year with an increased majority.

    So all the anti-Dan rhetoric looks like sour grapes from sore loses. Your opinion is NOT the common opinion evidenced by the election and so is necessarily a weak opinion.

    (I’m from NSW and don’t vote Labor).

    • christopher8827 on 26/02/2023 - 14:55

      I reckon these are just the anti-lockdown protesters who nobody wants to listen to - so, they came to Ozbargain for some reason instead haha.

      They just need to deport themselves to the US instead.

    • SimAus007 on 27/02/2023 - 11:11

      You know how it is online, the minority shout the loudest, not the majority ;)

  • [Deactivated] on 25/02/2023 - 20:02
    +1

    Aside from the other laundry list of things wrong with NSW, I'd get the fk out of that state purely for peace of mind knowing my kids won't get strip searched by their braindead cops during a harmless concert or outdoor event

  • portard on 26/02/2023 - 00:43
    +1

    I have lived in both and there are lots of points people have already mentioned but I have a strong opinion on public transport.

    Melbourne public transport is complete ass if you don't live in the city/inner city suburbs, and I'm particularly talking about the shitty train network here. The lack of any circumferential train line or non-city train hub (where multiple lines connect to) makes it impossible to travel for example, from a SE suburb to a NE suburb. It is a 100% radial network which means all lines converge to the city loop and that is your only interchange to swap train lines.
    Yes, we in Melbourne love to rave about our tram network and shit on Sydney's light rail - but for majority of the population who are living outside of Melbourne's tram network, the trains suck and Sydney's train network is objectively superior. Sydney's new metro system is so far ahead that Melbourne could never.

    To hammer the point home, Sydney and Melbourne have a similar number of train stations and train lines, yet Sydney has 50% higher rail patronage than Melbourne when the population is only 5% more. The train network (infrastructure, frequency, punctuality, reliability) needs to get better first to drive patronage. It is sadly just so far behind.

    • christopher8827 on 27/02/2023 - 12:43

      Sydney's network is pretty much radial too - you have to go through Central / Redfern to get to Chatswood from Strathfield. And there's a ton of public transport black spots in both cities. eg. West Melbourne / Footscray areas and Wetherill Park & most of Western Sydney.

      Sydney's stations are around major shopping centers such as in Chatswood, Town Hall, Burwood, Parramatta.

      Melbourne actually has more train stations in the metro area than Sydney - but they don't connect to Chadstone or to Monash University. However, it does connect to Box Hill, Glen Waverly and Melbourne Central for shopping, and Richmond for AFL games / Australian Open, etc. I think service frequency is much better on Sydney trains though. Tbh, Melbourne Metro needs to step up its services.

      • portard on 27/02/2023 - 13:10

        Yes Sydney is largely radial too although the metro line does alleviate some of those issues, not all. i.e If you lived in Rhodes, which is on the same line as Chatswood (T9), rather than passing through to Strathfield -> Central -> Chatswood, you can now go in the reverse direction up to Epping, switch to metro and head to Chatswood which is a much shorter and more direct journey. Where Sydney excels is by having larger stations out in the suburbs in which multiple train lines pass through, so commuters can change lines without needing to do so at Redfern/Central. Examples of this being Strathfield, Parramatta, Lidcombe, Liverpool.

        Melbourne's planned suburban rail loop will help immensely but with an estimated completion date of 2035 for SRL East…wow, we really needed this yesterday

    • Ghost47 on 02/03/2023 - 19:48

      100% agree as someone who has lived in both cities too. People who say Melbourne's PT system is superior are on crack. There are bus routes in Melbourne that have not changed in 20 years.

      I never rode buses in Sydney but the trains were really good. Stations like Wynyard and Town Hall need way better air conditioning underground though, it gets extremely stuffy down there in hot days.

  • AnotherCheapo on 26/02/2023 - 09:43

    Which Melbourne suburb are you looking at?

  • Muncher on 26/02/2023 - 12:37
    +2

    Hello! Moving to a new city can be an exciting but daunting experience, especially if you're not familiar with the area. Here are some things to consider when thinking about moving from Sydney to Melbourne:

    Cost of Living: Generally, Melbourne is considered to be a more affordable city than Sydney. However, it's important to do your research and compare the cost of living in both cities based on your specific needs and lifestyle.

    Lifestyle: Melbourne is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, world-class dining, and thriving nightlife. It's also home to several major sporting events and festivals throughout the year. While it may not have as many beaches as Sydney, Melbourne has plenty of parks and green spaces, as well as easy access to nearby beaches such as St Kilda.

    Schools: It's great to hear that you're considering the quality of schools when choosing your new location. Melbourne has several highly regarded schools, both public and private, and the education system is generally considered to be of a high standard.

    Commute: As you mentioned, you're planning to work remotely, but it's still important to consider the commute if you plan to venture out. Melbourne has a well-developed public transport system, including trains, trams, and buses, which can make getting around easier.

    Overall, it sounds like you have good reasons for considering a move to Melbourne, and it's important to weigh up all the pros and cons before making a decision. You may also want to consider taking a trip to Melbourne to explore the area and get a better sense of whether it's the right fit for you and your family.

    • gimme on 27/02/2023 - 10:57

      This deserves more upvotes. Sadly on the internet people don't appreciate balanced and well considered views.

  • Alexaxis on 26/02/2023 - 20:45
    +1

    winters in Mel are terribly wet in recent years.. can not really justify good weather.. let alone you are gonna experience 4 seasons in other normal days, on top of that, hayfever is another killer….. should none of em matters to you, you are certainly welcomed.

  • cupcake on 27/02/2023 - 11:01
    +1

    If more people from Sydney moved to Melby, then maybe some of us can find a house to buy.

    :P

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