caliburn

Well, I keep hearing that Sydney is the most expensive city in Australia. Trying to guess how much more expensive it is compared to Melbourne, Perth or Adelaide? 10%, 20% or 30% more? Any guess anyone? What really adds up to Sydney's higher costs? Housing, food, transport, bills?

DrWho

Housing can be expensive if you live in one of the nicer areas... We're on the Northern Beaches and rent is ~ $2,750 a month for a 3 bed semi...

seayork2002

I am probably totally out but from what I have seen think London prices

emigratingherberts

Absolutely right. You can even add a bit for luck as well!!!

ABCDiamond

It depends on the actual location.

I've got a 3 bed house becoming available for rent in St Clair, Western Sydney for $270 pw, available from Feb 17. No, actually make it $300, time for a rent rise I think


Food should be very similar to Melbourne and Adelaide, but probably cheaper then Perth.

Food and Transport would be about the same in all places.

caliburn

So then, is it correct to say that its mostly the house rent that accounts for higher cost of living in Sydney? If this is the case, you could actually significantly lower your costs by living in the outer/cheaper suburbs? If so, why would still so many people complain about higher costs in Sydney?

Rapido

Caliburn, Sydney is like most other major cities in that salaries tend to be a bit higher to compensate for the general extra cost of living there.

If you cut rental costs by living in the outer suburbs, then keep in mind that millions of others are doing the same and you'll be spending a lot of time in the car (if your work is closer to the CBD). So there's petrol, car maintenance and road tolls (oh how they love them in Sydney!) to factor in.

Parking in the CBD of Sydney every day is almost prohibitively expensive too. Going to the beach from the outer suburbs can be a real chore as traffic is a big problem in Sydney. Throw in a hot day and a couple of kids in the back seat and it can get ugly.

I would personally go for the rural option in Oz rather than live in the anonymous, sprawling outer suburbs of Sydney. You could be in any city in Australia living out there, because there's nothing really that defines it as 'Sydney', if you know what I mean.

ABCDiamond

Because those people choose to live so much closer to the center of the City

Almost half of Sydneys population lives in the Greater West area.

In 2001, 80% of the local resident workers had jobs located in the Greater West Sydney area, up from 73% in 1981, and probably still rising.

Closer to the centre of Sydney is definitely a much nicer place to live, but many opt, for cost reasons, to live and work in the outer areas.

NickyC

Housing costs are the only real item that costs more in Sydney. As others have said, if you take the cheaper housing in the outer areas that then comes with its own associated costs - higher travelling costs, more petrol needed, tolls etc.

Other day-to-day items like food, petrol, insurance, utilities etc costs much the same in Sydney as in the other capitals.

caliburn

Thanks all for your feedback. It seems that lower rental of outer suburbs will somewhat be offset by increased transportation costs and time.

highersights

Personally, I would rather not live in Sydney than live in the outer West suburbs. The transport system (trains) is a bit of a joke and many of the the areas are frankly not very nice (far nicer in many parts of the UK). This is a bit snobbish (being a working class lad) but it's just not what people move 12000 miles for. I know someone in the north west (which is much nicer but still remote). For him, because of the distance going to the beach would be fairly rare. He spends 2 hours a day travelling to/from work. The main difference in life seems to be the sun. But it is a classic problem in sydney on a limited budget: live close to the water in a unit or live much further out in a house. Sutherlandshire in an option to consider, but again still 1 hour commute. To me, it's not really Sydney, but it's a nice area generally and closer to the south coast NSW, which is fabulous. If I could choose again from the start, jobs permitting, I'd probably have chosen Melbourne. Still, Sydney is a great city and you are never short of things to do. It just drives you nuts sometimes.

pompeyblonde

Having lived in London for many years, and now researching Sydney I still feel Sydney is more affordable, though rent is expensive, I can afford to live in the city, I could never afford to live in central London, and transport is much cheaper than London (not Suprisingly)

ABCDiamond

It does depend on exact living locations, and working location.
eg: You could live in Erskine Park and work in Windsor, just 20 min mainly traffic free commute, without as much hussle and bussle as you get in the City.

Within one hour you are in the Blue Mountains area.


Personally though, I prefer being up here in SE QLD

viviennef

re: not living in outer suburbs

I felt the same which is why I am in the Sunshine Coast. Sydney would have been my home forever though if I didnt have suddenly overactive ovaries and a new business.

Renting is no issue, its when you want to buy its hard to get by. The transport into sydney is really bad - no tube to just get you in on time. The outer areas although some of them are fine, would leave me too far from what I came to Australia for - sun, sea, sand and an outdoor life. I love the fact the city has everything and would need to have been living inner west/north short/eastern suburbs - down as far as maroubra or something to be happy there.

If I won the lottery, I would move back in a flash and keep a holiday home here - its pretty nice here too

Vivienne

highersights

I'm assuming working in the city. Though I work in the eastern suburbs, which makes living West a bad joke...