Gill73

Hi All

We lived in Perth from Oct 2008 to Jan 2011. Although we found Perth to be a beautiful and clean place, it felt too isolated for us and we couldn't see our future there.

We returned to the UK in Jan 2011 and although we have settled back, we are about to apply for a 5 year resident return visa as we don't want to close the option of returning to Australia to live.

We are considering a move to Brisbane and would like views on how Brisbane
compares to Perth in terms of climate, living costs, job prospects, things to do.

Any comments would be much appreciated as it feels like a very daunting task to plan to move again

Kim67

I grew up in Western Australia, Perth for the most part, I left there in 1997 but have been back a few times for six to eight months stays, the last in 2008. I have been in Brisbane for most of the period since 1997. These would be the differences for me.

Perth Pros:

• Great Beaches
• The Swan Valley
• Freo's little boutique breweries

Perth Cons:

• Isolation from the rest of Australia.
• I felt the need to live in a decent suburb as the Perth bogan factor seems worse.
• Too hot in summer, too cold in winter.
• Great White Sharks

Brisbane Pros:

• Great weather - all year round temperate climate.
• Even though the river is not as pretty as the Swan, Brisbane's is utilised more and has a better public transport system on the river and better restaurant/park facilities on the river, mainly Southbank.
• Better travel opportunities - just over an hours drive from the CBD and you're in another state.
• More opportunities for kids with education and interests because of the proximity to Sydney and Melbourne.
• Better store trading hours (though I believe Perth has started to catch up in the last year or so).

Brisbane Cons:

• Have to drive an hour north or south to get a decent beach.

I'm sure there are heaps more, but it's nearly my bedtime and my brain seems to have stopped functioning.

Teabag

Spent my first 36 years in Brisbane, if you like to sweat for 8 months of the year - then it's beautiful, but getting very busy and crowded. I now live in WA and while I hate Jan-March it is bearable due to lower humidity. Plus I live in Boganville (Rockingham) so it's not as busy but a good lifestyle, plus the wages are so much better here.

EvannTel

I spend one week every month in Brissie and the one thing that would stop me living there is the climate! It's awful compared to Perth. Each to their own.

Other than that love Brissie and although feeling very disloyal, in many ways has he edge over Perth.

Kim67

Maybe you need more than one week to get used to the humidity, personally I don't find it very humid at all. Not like the real tropics. Perth is too hot in summer and way way too cold for me in winter. I hate cold.

Teabag

I was born there and never got used to it

mark213

We moved from Perth to Briz for work and then moved back to Perth after 18 months. Couldnt get used to Brisbane - the hills for one! Hard to get round and roads are windy compared to Perths "grid" fashion.

Brisbane is lovely and green but the weather was too humid for us and we liked the cool change Perth has in winter. We found perth is hotter on the degrees but we felt more drained in brisbane.

Bris is prettier in aspects and isnt so much about mcmansions and spralwling suburbs as Perth is. Traffic was better in Perth when we left but on return Perth is waaaay worse than before and on a par with most major cities. We still prefer it to Brisbane traffic.

There is more to do in Bris, closer to Gold and Sunshine coast, toowoomba, glass house mts, etc. Perth is a little detached but we like it that way. Suppose its what you are used to.

We mainly return because of family reasons but we just didnt fit in to the east coast style so were happy to come back to WA.

Mickey-T

Some great answers here.

We've been in Perth for 9 years and despite a rocky start, everything fell into place eventually. Brisbane was our #1 choice, but in 2003 when we arrived, Brisbane's property prices were much higher that Perth, so we came here.

We have friends in Brizzy and visit regularly. There is absolutely no way I could see myself living permanently in Brisbane. As much as I love the place, the weather would "do my crust in" after having been spoilt by WA summers.

Our friends live out in Raby Bay. Beautiful place to live but to get to the CBD for work is an abolute nighmare. We live near Hillarys, world class beaches, gorgeous summers, and a proper infrastructure. My wife gets the traino work and it's 20 min's. No stress, no traffic to fight through..........EASY.

To me there is just no comparison. Brisbane/Gold/Sunshine Coast GREAT for holidays. Perth JUST SO LIVEABLE.

coldbeer

Just for what its worth, re: weather.

The last 3-4 years Brisbane has had unusually wet summers, earlier in the year I read it was caused by La Nina, which has now moved on and true to form, this summer has been glorious, and pretty dry.

For a given temp I don't find Brisbane any more humid than Sydney and its never bothered me (having lived here for 5 then 2 years). Interesting that Brisbane has escaped the worst of the recent heatwave, although its in the 30's right now.

We visited Perth for a reccie, but could never live there, for the reasons the OP left among others.

fish.01

"terms of climate, living costs, job prospects, things to do."

climate: brisbane more humid than perth, perth higher temperatures and colder temperatures, perth summer better though still too hot, brisbane rest of the year better imo with dry, sunny, mild weather that is very liveable.

living costs: houses similar, maybe a little cheaper in Brisbane, food and other things cheaper in Brisbane, more choice in supermarkets etc, Perth wages higher on average which would contribute to the higher costs

Job prospects: Perth better, lower unemployment, brisbane going through rough patch, long term both have performed well and have strong forecasts

Things to do: If want day to day beach going perth better, brisbane is a river city...if you enjoy culture and more urban pursuits south east qld more populated so more to offer as you would expect, far more infrastructure, busier, buzzier etc (Brisbane and surrounds (SEQ) 3 million, Perth and surrounds approx 1.8 million). Not as much as Sydney and Melbourne of course. Brisbane has far more populated urban centres you can visit on a day trip or drive to. Brisbane surrounded by a wealth of man made and natural attractions and is often green, hilly and lush with great plants and animals. This is important to me as I dislike flat open places, including the flat bayside areas of Brisbane, but of course all these things come down to personal preference. In my opinion Sydney does coastline the best out of the Australian cities (for those into beaches) as it has beautiful green hilly areas full of character and vibrancy, but of course it is very expensive to live near them.