Living in Australia

Thinking about moving to Australia?

Which City?

Choosing where you want to live in Australia is not straightforward. Australia is a big place, as if you didn’t know. Australia has big cities, it has small towns. It has beautiful beaches and it has barren outback. Australia also has a good selection of islands.

Australia’s major cities

Here’s a roundup, which includes annual weather charts and more, for each of the following cities. Please click on any of the links below to read more:

Want to live outside of the capital cities?

You will find information on many of the smaller towns in our states and territories on the following pages:

Where are you going to live?

You can click on the links above to find out more about Australia’s Cities and Australian States. But for a quick roundup of the major cities and help with choosing a suburb, check out:

It is not so much the content on my pages that will help you decide where to live in Australia, but the hundreds of comments that have been added by those who do live here. Do be sure to join in on the conversation wherever you can.

More useful links:

I do hope the information I have here helps you; good luck with your search.

Visa Assessment Service
{ 819 comments… add one }
  • Marcel Meyer March 5, 2019, 11:46 pm |

    Good day Bob

    Me and my wife qualified for our 190 VISA. Will I be able to do a plumbing apprenticeship when we arrive in Australia and how is the opportunities for hairdressers. She is a qualified hairdresser with more that 10 years experience.

    Thanking you

    • BobinOz March 8, 2019, 9:28 pm |

      Check out my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship for the latest job vacancies for hairdressers, and I see no reason why you can’t do a plumbing apprenticeship when you get here.

      You will probably have to pay for it though, as you are not an Australian citizen. I don’t really know how it would work, so I think you need to try and find someone who can help you more than I can on that one.

      • Marcel Meyer March 12, 2019, 5:43 pm |

        Thank you Bob,

        Last question, We don’t have job offers yet but qualify for the state nomination 190 VISA. Is it better to wait for a job offer or must we continue with the VISA.

        • BobinOz March 13, 2019, 5:27 pm |

          Sorry, I don’t answer those kinds of questions, I leave it to MARA registered migration agents to give that sort of advice.

  • Yavuz February 2, 2019, 8:39 pm |

    Which area High, rich top quality to live in Sydney, Melbourne, pert..?

  • GEMMA October 23, 2018, 6:36 pm |

    Hi,

    May I know where is the best place in Australia I can decide to apply for an insurance field like me… appreciate your response. thanks.

  • esabella September 2, 2018, 1:21 am |

    hey there
    I wanted to ask few questions about Australia and where to live ,cause we are having some difficulties to decide , so me and my brother are foreign doctors willing to work in Australia but we don’t know what cities are best to work in as a foreign doctors ,and what hospitals we should choose? ..
    so if you guys know any information please let me know

    • BobinOz September 3, 2018, 6:42 pm |

      It could well be worth you getting in touch with the sponsors of my page about Doctors in Australia, they are currently looking to recruit GPs and they may be able to help you.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Christine August 16, 2018, 12:08 am |

    Hi Bob / Mark

    We are thinking of buying something in Oz to semi retire too. We have kids in Melbourne and Adelaide, and some very good friends in Sydney and Perth. My husband is a very keen cyclist and golfer and we are very sociable people. My dilemma is where to buy, the Melbourne weather freaks me out a bit I can’t stand the cold and my husband doesn’t like it too hot (30+) any ideas where we could look, I know it’s a big country. We don’t have to be on top of the kids they can travel.

    • Julie Adams August 16, 2018, 8:52 pm |

      I would recommend Sydney – we still get the Seasons & not freezing cold & damp & boiling hot like Melbourne.
      Sydney has fabulous Beaches lots of Bike Clubs & Bike Shops all over Sydney. The Clubs have long & short Trips they cater for all Ages & what level Rider you are. There are Books available that have Maps of Bike Paths/Tracks all over Sydney they are tucked away most people don’t know these Tracks exist unless they are Bike Riders. I would keep away from Wollongong I was there last week it is about 65 klm South of Sydney. It is a rough area, domestic violence is high & you see some very strange people wandering around .
      The area has massive unemployment & drug problem. The huge BHP Steel Works closed down. BHP employed thousands of people it ran 24/7 & everyone list their jobs. Stay in Sydney it has hundreds of Coffee Shops, Restaurants all different Food Cultures everywhere. The Sutherland Shire is the best area in the Southern Suburbs – 10 minutes from Cronulla Beach & there are special Bike Paths in the area. If you liove the heat & humidity Brisbane or anywhere on the East Coast of Qld would be the best State.
      My Sister has lived in Townsville, Mackay & now in Noosa (Qld) she is a mad Bike Rider but you have to get up early in the summer to ride your Bike the heat is unbearable the further North you go. Personally I can’t stand extreme cold or heat so Sydney is the best for me with a Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner you cant go wrong. You won’t get much under a Million Dollars in Sydney for a House – New Apartments where I live are from $750,000 2 or 3 bedroom. If you want to live a long way from the Beaches & the CBD it is a cheaper but freezing in the Winter & like a Furnace in the Summer no Ocean Breeze to cool the Summer temperature. Northern Suburbs in Sydney is OK but…property is expensive & the only way in & out is by Bus & Sydney Traffic is Gridlocked. The advantage of living in the Sutherland Shire iwe have Trains that will take you everywhere & we are about 20 minutes from the Domesric & International Airport & CBD (Sydney Harbour) 35 minutes on the Train.

      • BobinOz August 16, 2018, 9:07 pm |

        Very good answer from Julie, given your requirement about the weather, but as she has also said, property is extremely expensive and gridlock is quite common.

        The problem here though is that Australia doesn’t really do many places that don’t get too hot, and Melbourne can get very cold in the winter as can Adelaide as well I believe. Both can also have extremely hot summer days, 40°C and more.

        My vote would go for Brisbane, which Judy has also recommended. We don’t have cold winters, the the default temperature for summer usually sits around 32°C, but then for about 5 to 8 weeks of the year it can get pretty humid and sticky. Like everywhere else Brisbane can have its very hot days as well, say 36° or more, but doesn’t often get the ridiculously hot days that Melbourne and Sydney can.

        The payoff though is a wonderfully relaxed city, plenty of open spaces, no real traffic problem, cheaper housing and lots of bike paths and golf courses. It’s the sort of place your family and friends would probably love to visit you in. If you’re not fussed about living in a big city, then somewhere on Sunshine Coast might be even better with its glorious beaches.

        Those are my thoughts, but you have a difficult choice.

  • Jayde June 8, 2018, 7:47 am |

    I am curious about the cheapest/nice rural area to live in Australia? I have a job where I can travel and work from a Wifi connection. I currently live in the country with a grocery store available at a 20 min drive. Would that be an option?
    Thanks so much,
    Jayde from Nova Scotia, Canada

    • BobinOz June 8, 2018, 7:17 pm |

      Gosh, you’d be spoilt for choice here in Australia, we have an abundance of small rural communities just like that. I think what you need to ask yourself is what kind of climate do you want to live in? Some of these places can be really hot, dry and dusty and others can be hot and humid. Quite a few of them can also be pretty cold in the winter.

      You will also need to choose somewhere that has a good internet connection and that can sometimes be a problem in remote areas.

      Can I suggest you head over to my page about Victoria and scroll down through the comments, looking in particular for those made by Col B and especially the one he made on December 2, 2014, 5:50 pm. Col is a regular reader, a pensioner, and likes to live in the countryside just like yourself. He’s done a lot of research in the state of Victoria and has posted it all online. I’m sure he’d help you out further if you want to ask him directly. Tell him I sent you 🙂

      Every one of our other states will have similar areas as well, but with different weather. Good luck with your search, Bob

      • Jayde June 8, 2018, 7:22 pm |

        Thanks so so much!

        Truly appreciate it! Now for research!
        Jayde

  • Elvis April 3, 2018, 2:17 am |

    Hi Bob, thank you so much for the great work you are doing. I deeply appreciate you alot. Am a 35yeae medical doctor yet to specialize. My girlfriend is a 28yeae nurse and we both graduated from Nigeria and currently looking for opportunities to migrate to Australia. She is applying to upgrade her Diploma in nursing to BSC while we are about confused on which city will be preferable for us to settle. Secondly if it’s better for me to accompany her on her student visa or we should rather apply for skill migration permanent residence.
    Once again thank you so much for your kind assistance o folks all over the world.
    Happy Easter.
    Cheers

    • BobinOz April 5, 2018, 7:28 pm |

      Hopefully all the information I have here about the major cities in Australia will help you decide where to go, but as for the visas, I simply do not answer these kinds of questions. Which visa to go for and how to go about it is something you would be best off discussing with a MARA registered migration agent, to find one of those, see my page about Migration agents.

  • Sheeba February 13, 2018, 7:37 am |

    Hi Bob,
    I am a graphic designer and so is my brother. I am already well settled in Sydney with a good job in medical industry, but my brother is thinking of moving in. Also I want to move out of Sydney as it is very expensive, can’t afford a house. Was thinking what are the best options, I am not very fond of Melbourne, although if it has good job opportunities I won’t mind.
    Thanks,

    • BobinOz February 14, 2018, 12:16 am |

      The problem here is that housing is very expensive in Sydney and Melbourne, but these are the two Australian cities with the most job opportunities by far. So the short answer to your question is anywhere in Australia where you CAN get a job that isn’t Sydney or Melbourne.

      I don’t know where that is, but my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship will help you research it.

      Brisbane would be an excellent choice, it’s Australia’s third biggest city, and housing is very affordable. It’s a great place to live too. If you can find a job in Brisbane, that’s where I would head.

      • Sheeba Narain February 14, 2018, 9:01 am |

        Thanks for your response to the above. It definitely helps me, however I have another question for you- (if you don’t mind!) my brother has been trying to get his pr under graphic designer skill sets but it I don’t going down too well. So I was wondering if I have been a Pr in australia for more than 3 Years can I sponsor him if I move out of Sydney and which visa would it? And how long would it take for the visa process? Thanks in advance for the help

        • BobinOz February 14, 2018, 9:11 pm |

          No, I can’t help with that, I don’t answer questions about visas and eligibility. Your brother would need to speak to a MARA migration agent to get the answers he needs. See my page about Migration agents.

      • Kemi March 29, 2018, 9:01 am |

        Hihi bobin. I am an agricultural scientists, a family of 3. I have 489 invitation for Tasmania and south Australia ,but am confuse, I don’t know which to pick.pls guide me

        • BobinOz April 2, 2018, 6:26 pm |

          I would definitely go to whichever state you think would give you the best chance of finding a job, because it is often the case that new migrants struggle to get employment when they get here.

          You can research jobs on my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.

  • Benzoo February 11, 2018, 7:38 pm |

    Hey Bob I’m 18 years I just finished highschool and would want to attend a University there since it was my dream since I was 7years old

  • Arman November 10, 2017, 6:24 am |

    Hey bob. Thank you for your helps.
    I’m 16 right now and I wish to come to australia. I’ve read some articles about the education system in australia(queensland). You know, my plan is to get my highschool diploma there and then go to university. I was wondering if you might have some important infos. By the way, I live in Iran. I’d be happy to see your reply.

    Arman

    • BobinOz November 10, 2017, 7:58 pm |

      It’s not something I know too much about, other than as an international student studying in Australia you will have to pay for your own education and living expenses. If you want help selecting where to go though, check out my page about Student Visas.

      • Vigin December 15, 2017, 12:28 am |

        I came Australia bwith graduate skilled migration (subclass 476) andI completed mechanical engineering.. which territy is good for me

        • BobinOz December 15, 2017, 4:48 pm |

          That depends what you want from where you are going to live. If the main thing is securing a job, then go wherever the most opportunities are and you can check that through the links on my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.

  • Gladys November 1, 2017, 10:49 am |

    Hello Bob!
    Thank you so much for the information shared in this blog! I am finishing college (University) in June 2018, I am 34 and no kids. I’ll get a B.S in English and I would like to know if there’s a possibility to migrate and get a job in any city in Australia. Living in this wonderful has been my dream since I was 6.

    Additinally, I would like to know if there’s any additional requirements to get a job there. I have experience as a translator, interpreter, and working as a customer service representative.
    Any information or suggesstion shared will be highly appreciated.

    Thank you!

    • Sagar November 1, 2017, 12:49 pm |

      Sorry mate. You are too late. This country is for teenagers. Dont believe. Then come and see youself.

      • BobinOz November 1, 2017, 6:20 pm |

        That’s a rather silly comment Sagar.

        Gladys, yes there is a possibility, but it is very complicated. Basically you will need to secure a job and a visa that allows you to work here. I have written many pages that will help guide you with this, you can access them all from the main navigation menu above. I’d start with my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.

      • Gladys November 2, 2017, 6:39 am |

        Thank you for your comment Sagar! I was looking for something constructive, I feel this world is full of too many “no” and I appreciate when I find positive and encouraging people with constructive comments.

        Thank you!

  • Mariana October 27, 2017, 7:53 am |

    Hello! My name is Mariana, I am finishing my masters degree in veterinary medicine (portugal), and was thinking of travelling to australia (6/7 months next year) in order to do some research and externships for my final project, since im into wildlife medicine and conservation. Besides that, I am 22yrs old and my boyfriend, who is a musician, will be travel with me. Right now I am establishing contacts in Melbourne, Sidney and also at Sunshine coast, but couldnt feel more lost. I really dont know what to expect of any of the cities, and was thinking of what would you recommend as the best for our age and opportunities?
    thank you a lot!!

    • BobinOz October 30, 2017, 7:21 pm |

      This is a difficult one, Melbourne would probably be the best choice for your musician boyfriend, but probably not good for you and your wildlife/conservation work. If you want a good nightlife, Sunshine Coast would not be a good choice.

      I think the best way for you to approach this is to check out my pages about each of those places, they are listed underneath Australian Cities in the main navigation menu above, and also research opportunities via my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.

      You really do need to be going where you would stand the best chance of finding work to pay your way, and my suspicion is it’s not the Sunshine Coast. There is no doubt that the most job opportunities in Australia are in either Sydney or Melbourne, but these two places are also the most expensive for accommodation.

      Bottom line though, is I think you should go to where you think there are the most job opportunities for what you both want to do.

    • Dani Lockyer December 15, 2017, 10:10 am |

      i know there was a position available be a Qualified Vet in Darwin – you would be working with a Team – travelling long distances tonAustrakia’s outback.
      The job consists of visiting Aboriginal Missions to care for their Camp Dogs.
      The work entails DESEXING, Operations etc on the Dogs
      Darwin has Tropical Monsoon Weather.
      Darwin is unique there is no other City in Australia to compare.
      I suggest you ‘Google’ Darwin – if interested please post on BobinOz

  • Elle October 18, 2017, 3:03 am |

    Hello!
    I am planning on moving to Australia, but I am not sure what part to try to settle down in. I’m 22 years old and have work experience in real estate. I am hoping to find a long term job. I think Sydney would be too expensive for me. Do you think any parts of Brisbane would be a good fit? Or Sunshine Coast? Thanks!

    • BobinOz October 18, 2017, 8:39 pm |

      Personally, I love Brisbane, I think it’s a good choice these days. Sydney and Melbourne are both very expensive, Brisbane offers some great value for money and I just love the climate.

      Sunshine Coast may be a little too quiet for you at your age, the nightlife isn’t great. Brisbane would probably suit you better, I actually believe it is the best choice out of all the capital cities in Australia at the moment.

    • Dannie Lockyer October 27, 2017, 12:01 pm |

      Listening to Radio Real Estate Programme’s regularly last discussion about Real Estate was 25/10/17. Sydney is very expensive this weekend about 700 Auctions, Brisbane was iunder 100 & Melbourne is having 1700 Auctions this weekend. My Niece is a Real Estate Agent in QLd since the Mining has crashed house price have dropped a lot & there is not a lot of demand. Melbourne is now the No1 place for Real Estate some areas are still affordable. Brisbane is the best to get a Bargain. Sunshine Coast is expensive many parts of Gold Coat is very expensive unless you want to live in an Aprtment. Melbourne has awful weather very hot in summer & freezing in winter, Brisbane is very hot & humid, Perth boom times are over & it is thousands of Kim’s from Sydney, Brisbane & Melbourne. Not a lot happens in Perth very quiet. If only one could predict when & where the next Mine Boom will be in Australianwe could all be rich…

      • BobinOz October 30, 2017, 6:42 pm |

        Just to add Dannie that it ishouse prices in rural Queensland that are falling, but it’s a different story in south-east Queensland. Prices here haven’t risen massively, but they have on up steadily in Brisbane, Gold Coast and perhaps Sunshine Coast. If you go north and rural, that’s where you will see that house prices have been falling for the last three or four years.

        Give me a shout if you work out how to do that predicting stuff, but by private email, we don’t want everyone to know 🙂

        • Dannie Lockyer October 30, 2017, 7:57 pm |

          I am not an expert on Real Estate I do have an interest – I listen to radio 2UE & 2GB they have shows all the time about buying Real Estate in Australia’s cities. John MaGrath Real Estate are running ads every other day on both radio stations telling Sydney people we should buy an Investment Property in Brisbane because a new 3 bedroom home starts at only $350,000 (with a 5% Return plus benefit of negative gearing).
          Brisbane in comparison to Sydney Prices is incredible….so cheap.
          You would be aware it is much easier to find work in Sydney & Melbourne in comparison to Brisbane & Perth due to,the huge difference in population.
          The reason I have written about Real Estate is because I own a couple of Properties &
          I’m seriously thinking of buying another Property in the Currumbin area in Qld. This is my favourite place in Qld – I have been to Cairns, Mackay,, Maroochydore, Gympie (Avocado & Macadamia Farm), Noosa & Brisbane. Having relatives & friends living in these areas makes for a cheap holiday – my friends & family stay with us when they visit Sydney. Some of my Relatives in Qld have expressed a desire to move to Sydney – sadly the cost of Real Estate is beyond their reach.
          The further North the more intense the summers & Cyclones are of great concern. Some of mum relatives have lived through 3 Cyclones they are frightening – their homes were OK but Trees & Power lines were a big problem.
          I prefer to live next to the ocean the weather is not so hot with the sea breezes.
          I nearly melted in Brisbane when we stayed with friends in Kenmore….the humidity was incredible being next to the Brisbane River & the fact Brisbane is inland.
          Sydney has the Harbour & we have numerous Rivers.
          The benefit of being near the Ocean it is always much cooler than Sydney’s inland Suburbs which is very hot the same as Brisbane.
          Some people love the heat the hotter the better…

          • BobinOz October 31, 2017, 6:11 pm |

            Yes, the sea breezes on the coast are priceless when you get to Gold Coast and anywhere further north.

            As for prices, sure you combine investment property in Brisbane much cheaper than Sydney, but I’m pretty sure you will miss out on the growth. It’s interesting when you look at my first ever house prices compared post back in 2009…

            https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/2196/the-cost-of-living-in-australia-house-prices/

            And you will see that at that time, the median house price in Brisbane was $452,000 and in Sydney $577,000. In 2007 I moved to Brisbane from the UK. If I’d have moved to Sydney and spent the same amount of money on a house there instead of Brisbane, I would have made over half $1 million profit I now. Instead, when I sold my house at the beginning of this year, I made about $50k. You can check those figures by looking at my most recent house prices post from last year…

            https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/19318/uk-and-australian-house-prices-compared-cities-and-regions-2016/

            That said, I’m still glad I chose Brisbane, simply because I love living here. It does show how things have changed quite massively in the last 10 years here in Australia though.

  • Kenneth September 23, 2017, 6:48 am |

    Hi Bob We are planning to move to Australia. My wife is a nurse. Moving with 3 kids. I am Mechanical design Engineer/ verification.
    Which place in Australia is good for my job.
    We have Permanent resident visa.

    • Michael September 23, 2017, 11:26 am |

      Kenneth the bulk of the opportunities for work are in the major cities, such as Melbourne, Sydney and so on. Sadly they are also the most expensive places to live. I would look up job sites and do a hunt around that way to see where most of the jobs seem to be.

  • santino September 4, 2017, 10:40 pm |

    hi bob, tanx to GOD i found your website.
    pls am planning on coming to base in australia for some yrs, get a good job and establish my self. am coming from nigeria, but can you advise me which type of visa to apply for to get a gud job in your country. am planning to base in Sydney and also get a wrk..here is my personal email. email me here for more details blessedteamgmb@gmail.com
    tanx nd hope to here from you soon.

  • Matt Arguin August 18, 2017, 2:19 am |

    Hi Bob, love the work your doing here. My wife and I are considering a move to Australia from the United States ( Illinois). I am a licensed aviation mechanic and have been working at an oil refinery for the past ten years as a welder/mechanic. Just interested in your thoughts as a potential move and the best advice on how to get the ball rolling. We have three children and believe the move would be a great cultural change and learning experience.
    Thank you for your time
    Matt

    • BobinOz August 18, 2017, 1:47 pm |

      Thanks, glad you like my website.

      If you’re considering moving to Australia, the first thing to do is try and discover whether you or your wife would qualify for a visa, as they aren’t that easy to get. It can get quite complicated, but my page about Visas will give you some guidance.

      The job market isn’t great in Australia at the moment, especially for new migrants, so the other thing I would definitely do would be try to investigate your chances of finding work when you get here, and my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship will help you with that.

      Hope that helps, and good luck, Bob

    • Pk August 30, 2017, 8:33 pm |

      I am from US too. Now here in Melbourne. I was in Perth first before moving to Melbourne. I have also been to Sydney(beautiful & big). But have settled for Melbourne just because is cheaper and almost as big.

      You should jump on it. This place is different but nice and good. Very good work and balance culture.

      Just like you I have 3 kids and wife (nurse). It was easy for me to find a job also.

      Hope you take the chance. Good luck

      • Harsha September 14, 2017, 12:52 pm |

        Hi PK,
        I think you have good experience about sydney and melbourne. In next month i hope to migrate austalia for my Masters. Let me know sydney or melbourne is verry suitable for me if not which city?. Becouse i hope to do some part time jobs.

  • Olaife August 13, 2017, 7:07 pm |

    Hey Bob, I plan to move to Australia with my wife and two kids. My wife is an electrical engineer. I’m a photographer.

    We need good jobs. Where do you suggest we live I. Aussie.

    • BobinOz August 14, 2017, 6:44 pm |

      The job market is very tough at the moment, especially for new migrants. If I were you, I would do some thorough research on where it would be best for you both to go, and the links on my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship will help you with that.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Naim July 1, 2017, 10:04 am |

    Hello Bob, my wife and I are architects from Jordan (Middle East). We have a new born baby 🙂 and we are planning to migrate to Australia.
    My work field is in construction. My wife’s is in design.
    What city do you recommend for us to live in?
    We are looking for good job vacancies and low prices in living and housing..
    Thank you for your time dear 🙂

  • Leonard June 30, 2017, 12:58 am |

    Hi bro. M Leonard by my name, from Nigeria/biafra, m cumin to Australian soon but am still waiting for my visa since dis year making 3years day hv been delaying me but want to ask u were is d best place for me to get a job and low rent becus i didnt attend any school or hv a certificate but m als computer literate gud in internet and programme. So i applied Melbourne in Australian is it very oky to get a very gud job and low price of rent…
    Thanks.

  • Marcelo Porto June 6, 2017, 2:25 am |

    Hi Bob!

    Just to say thank you for your great job over here!

    That helps me a lot to know more about my destination!

    Regards

    • BobinOz June 6, 2017, 7:05 pm |

      My pleasure and good luck with your plans.

  • Andries Erasmus May 22, 2017, 7:03 pm |

    Hi bob. great page. I am a New Zealand citizen looking to move to Brisbane. I have a job offer but I want to be sure I will get PR in Australia as the long term will be to get citizenship. Any help or pointers? Cheers

  • Israel Diaz April 27, 2017, 8:22 am |

    Hi Bob, I am very interested in initiating an inmigration program to live and work in Australia. I am from Mexico and I have experience in customer service and logistics, so I will look to work in something related to those fields, I have a degree in Business Administration. I will be moving by myself, I am single and without family, so I will appreciate any recommendation of the best cities that fits my experience, I am also looking to pay a low rent, it can be apartments or a small house. Cities with good transportation services, some entertainment, bars, culture, etc. and not living by side health and education services.

    Thanks in advance, great page.

    • BobinOz April 28, 2017, 6:05 pm |

      Have a read of my page A Quick Guide to Choosing a City in Australia to see if that helps you narrow it down. Then have a look at the individual pages for any cities you like the sound of and you will see that the comments are full of information about transport, and payment, culture, all sorts of things.

      If you want low rent though, forget about Sydney and Melbourne.

    • BryAn young May 4, 2017, 3:54 am |

      I hAve heard there are places that help you get a job And get on your feet there please msg me back Bryan Young thank you

      • BobinOz May 4, 2017, 6:43 pm |

        I don’t know where you heard that from, but I am not aware of any such service. If you have any further details, I’d be happy to look into it and maybe write a post about it if it appears to be useful for my readers.

  • Daniel April 25, 2017, 7:15 am |

    Hi Bob,

    We are preparing on pulling the trigger and get the ball rolling with our applications. I work in the financial sector and my partner in architecture. I know Sydney is the financial hub of Australia but the sheer size of the city + the cost of living turns me off of hanging my hat there (we currently live downtown Toronto and want to avoid moving from one box in the sky into another). We are both outdoorsy and appreciate a more laid back lifestyle. If I had my way I would move to a small town in the countryside but the reality is I need to be close to a city for jobs in our respective fields. I’ve been eyeing Brisbane, as I like the looks of the lower housing costs and smaller population. Are there any other cities or suburbs in Brisbane you would recommend given our wishes? Thanks!

    • BobinOz April 26, 2017, 5:16 pm |

      Firstly Daniel, I just want to say I pretty much agree with you, Sydney is pricing itself out of the market as house prices continue to race out of control. Brisbane and surrounds would offer a much more laid-back lifestyle and extremely reasonable house prices.

      Brisbane has hundreds of suburbs, but it is just one city. What I would suggest you look at though is Sunshine Coast, and in particular any suburb easily commutable to Maroochydore which is currently expanding, I’m told. Please check out the comments made recently on my pages about Queensland and Sunshine Coast to find out more about that.

      Sunshine Coast has a great climate, beautiful golden beaches and stunning hinterlands, it is most definitely the outdoor lifestyle and very laid-back. If you can find work in the area, I think it would be a great place for you to live. And it’s only an hour a half drive away from Brisbane.

      • Jim A June 25, 2017, 3:38 pm |

        My Brother lives in the Hinterland on acreage in Qld. He is 1.5 hour drive from Brisbane or the same by rail. He is 1.0 hour from the Sunshine Coast by Car & drives there for a Swim in the ocean, Lunch & Coffee. His Family live in a 3 bedroom Home which was recently valued at $285,000. He has 5 acres, 2 dams, electricity & septic tank & approx 400 Native Trees. The Kanagaroos visit twice daily & abundant Native Parrots visit regularly. His Home is Cyclone Proof & about 22 years old. He loves swimming in the fabulous new Council Pool & cycling. He has retired & is really enjoying his new relaxed lifestyle. His Property in Sydney would be worth millions$$$$.Some of the locals do commute by Train to Brisbane daily for work!

        • BobinOz June 26, 2017, 8:25 pm |

          Sounds like your brother is really enjoying a laid-back easy-going lifestyle, they do say that people who live in small towns are the happiest…

          https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17675/where-do-the-happiest-people-in-australia-live/

          There is a lot to be said for rural living, and if you don’t need to be in the city, whether for work or the better entertainment options that cities offer, then you can get so much more for your money by living out of town. Worth a try, I reckon and if you place yourself well, like your brother has done, you can easily get into the city for when you need to and also get to the beach pretty quickly. Perfect.

  • Robert Harbour April 17, 2017, 2:05 pm |

    I’m Australian, I’ve heard so much about Australian cities being world class and among the most livable in the world. As someone who has spent time in UK cities Would you agree that Australian cities are as beautiful, vibrant, clean, as livable, and with as many entertainment options and restraunts as those in the U.K.? I’m interested to hear your views.

    Thanks

    • BobinOz April 18, 2017, 9:20 pm |

      That’s a difficult one to answer really, all I can tell you for sure is that I really love living in Australia and it is very different from the UK. Both countries are extremely liveable, but both countries have their pros and cons.

      It would be difficult for Australia to have as many entertainment options as the UK, for example, simply because of the numbers. Greater London probably has a population the same as the whole of Australia, so would have more choices per square mile for sure.

      I’m sure London could boast some world-class entertainers who have never set foot in Australia, and you will never see an FA Cup final in Sydney 🙂

      Restaurant wise though I think Australia is every bit as good as the UK. Australia though easily wins out for its fantastic outdoor lifestyle and yes, most of the cities I’ve been to here are very clean, beautiful and liveable. Maybe the UK edges it for vibrant, but if it does, not by much.

      Personally I think Australia very much deserves its high-ranking in the city livability indexes.

      • Robert Harbour April 18, 2017, 10:54 pm |

        Thanks for the great answer bob ?

  • Roger Slatter April 16, 2017, 10:52 pm |

    Hey Bob I’ve heard a lot about Tasmania being green clean and natural with a booming foodie scene. I’ve heard it’s meant to be really beautiful. Would you recommend Tasmania as a place to visit or live? Or is it best stick to mainland Australia.? Interested to hear a fellow poms views

    • Mark April 17, 2017, 10:33 am |

      Depends on many factors…What you are looking to do either work or retirement wise…Weather preferences and lifestyle considerations ..Its too difficult a question to answer without all these if you are seriously considering living there…We decided not to live there As a place to visit ?
      es all day long is the answer!

      • BobinOz April 18, 2017, 8:49 pm |

        Yes, as Mark has said, whether you would want to live there or just visit very much depends on your circumstances. Work is hard to find in Tassie, but obviously that depends on what you do. If you can find work, assuming you need to, housing there is certainly cheaper.

        If you prefer your weather to have four seasons, then Tassie is also a great choice. If you like the Lake District, Tassie is your place. If you are retired and like fishing, Tasmania. I loved Tassie when I visited, but that’s all I will ever be, a visitor. I can’t imagine myself living there, I prefer a subtropical climate.

        Check out my pages about Tasmania and Hobart, and also have a read of the comments from people who do live there. Also worth a read is my post on Tasmania…

        https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/7774/tasmania-whats-the-point/

        • Christine July 9, 2017, 11:14 am |

          Hi Bob,
          We currently live in Sydney but things r out of control here….lift expenses r shooting off the roof. Thinking of moving interstate. We hv 3 places in mind but all of them has Pro n cons. We really confuse, So if you could help us that be great. Those places r Hobart, Adelaide and central cost (NSW). Work wise we could find a job as my husband Is a nurse.
          Hobart…house Would b more expensive than Adelaide as we choose to live at Monah or somewhere closer, school for our kids Would be cheaper but petrol, electricity n groceries r more expensive (I heard not sure if its true).
          Adelaide…houses r cheaper, cost of living cheaper, school the same with syd
          Central coast…houses the same with Hobart, school d same with syd, cost of living same with syd but we Dont need to find a job as my husband could commute so not a big changes. Thanks for your help

          • BobinOz July 10, 2017, 6:39 pm |

            I’m afraid I don’t know enough about what it’s really like to live in these places to help Christine. Your best bet would be to look at the pages that cover the areas you’re interested in and read the comments already made there, you will find there is quite a lot of talk about what they are like.

            For what it’s worth, I loved Hobart when I visited for one week, it’s a beautiful place, but as Mark has pointed out, it does have its shortfalls. I really enjoyed Adelaide for a week as well, it’s a nice laid-back city, and if you can get work there, and as a nurse I think your husband would, then it could be a fine choice. The biggest complaint about Adelaide is the lack of work, so if you can find work that’s the biggest problem solved.

            As for the Central Coast, I’ve driven through it, very pretty, but I really don’t know what it’s like to live there. Good luck with your search, I do hope you find the right place for you and your family.

      • Christine July 9, 2017, 10:58 am |

        Why did u decide not to live in Tasmania if u Dont mind me asking??

        • Mark July 9, 2017, 12:17 pm |

          Hi Christine Think you was asking why we decided not to live there…The main reason ….education is not so great, in fact it was and may still be perhaps the worst in Australia. The weather whilst at least on a par with England if not slightly better was an influence. Another reason was its cut off somewhat…Its perhaps cut off a lot… For many it will suit…If no children of school age, if the colder weather suits plus many other factors I suspect some people in Tassie would not want to live anywhere else As your only in NSW go and visit see what you think before committing.

          • Christine July 9, 2017, 2:06 pm |

            Hi Mark,
            Thanks for the reply…as I mentioned above which one of those 3 places is better? Was thinking of Victoria that close enough to Melbourne but cheap enough around $400k but last time we only find Melton n Saw bad review on that suburb. Just recently I saw quite view suburb around that price range but not sure if they r good area, such as craigieburn, hampton, narre Warren, cranbourne, epping. Would u know any of these area n Would u know any site I could check re good suburb to live in Melbourne? Thanks

            • BobinOz July 10, 2017, 6:31 pm |

              Christine, if you have a look at the comments on my page about Melbourne, you will see that Mark is extremely active and has spoken a great deal about the various suburbs there.

              Make yourself a nice cup of tea first, get in a comfy chair, and settle down for a good read 🙂

  • Eddie M April 9, 2017, 6:39 am |

    Hi Bob

    I’m in a quandary – I have an Australian citizenship and my wife has her partner visa (both a British born). Currently living in the US with my work and our next move is likely to be Oz.

    I work in Management in the Financial Services industry so would be looking at that or Tech or Consulting.

    Our current thinking of cities to focus on are:
    1. Sydney – jobs, beaches, international links, weather and location in Oz (between Melbz and Queensland)
    2. Melbourne – culture aka bars/coffee shops/food, jobs, nice and modern architecture
    3. Perth – where my mother is from, amazing beaches, weather, jobs (somewhat), closer to U.K./Bali/Dubai etc
    4. Brisbane – nice size, expat-friendly, nice housing, close to amazing beaches (Byron Bay has my heart…)

    Would love your thoughts on the above and if anything else you would add?

    Our big drive to move is: outdoor lifestyle, good job opportunities for people with global experience, starting a family in 2-3 years, beaches!

    Cheers and great site!

    • BobinOz April 10, 2017, 7:46 pm |

      Yes, it is a quandary isn’t it?

      Sydney, I would imagine, would offer you the most working opportunities as it is Australia’s financial centre. It is also Australia’s most expensive and crowded city, and doesn’t, for me anyway, really represent the best of Australia has to offer in terms of living the dream.

      Melbourne is everything you say it is, and would also probably offer some good working opportunities, but is also quite expensive. The weather is a bit up and down as well and can change quite quickly. Somebody from Melbourne once told me that it’s almost impossible to plan to go to the beach, because it might be hot when you set off, but cold by the time you arrive. Maybe an exaggeration, but Melbourne doesn’t have a climate that too many people rave about.

      Perth would be a really nice place to bring up your family when you start, and does have some gorgeous beaches. It would be living the Australian dream, albeit rather isolated from the rest of Australia. Jobs, I’m not so sure, Perth appears to be struggling on that front at the moment.

      Brisbane, I love Brisbane, that’s why I live here. I love Byron Bay as well, I go there quite often, it’s a beautiful drive by the back roads. Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast beaches are also good for a day trip. Housing costs are very reasonable compared to the other cities and much cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne. Bigger houses as well.

      All of these places, one way or another, will give you a great outdoor lifestyle experience.

      That’s my 2 pence, but you still have your quandary. I hope my additional points help you to decide, but if getting work is a high priority, then maybe you need to make sure that, wherever you choose, you will have the best chance of finding a job. And that, ultimately, might dictate your destination.

      Hope that helps and good luck, wherever you decide.

      • Eddie M April 10, 2017, 8:39 pm |

        Thanks Bob, very useful indeed…so helpful to have other people’s perspectives. It’s quite daunting as I’ve been with current employer since graduation!

        A couple more quick questions if you don’t mind:

        1. Do you know of companies are open to recruiting from overseas? It’s fair to say popping to sydney for an interview from US/UK isn’t so easy…unsure how that might work!

        2. How does parental leave compare with the UK, especially if working in a big company? Most people in my current company can take c.6 months off paid which staggers down to statutory/unpaid for the period between 6-12 months…so a lot of new mothers will be off for 9-12 months in total

        3. As mentioned, I currently live on the East Coast of US in a very seasonal city, however we get lots of sunshine; even when cold! Is Melbourne REALLY that bad in terms of ‘4 seasons in a day’ and much lower hours of sunshine?

        Thank you!

        • Mark April 10, 2017, 10:35 pm |

          My tow cents worth on Melbourne..its not as bad as many make out…We can on some days have four seasons in one day…Never seen snow here apparently since 1865 It dropped as low as 7 degress 45 last winter, one night I hail from home of the West Coast Whitehouse so its not as great as there but having done 20 plus years in UK when my car dashboard read – 17 in 2010 its positively warm… The weather forecasters are despite this pretty good and If your on the Eastern
          Seaboard USA I cant imagine many places better than Melbourne. Certainly nowhere near the winters of New York. so depending on how far south from the Jersey shore you are closer to Key west. I dont think you’ll be worse off…I didnt wear a sweater all year last year…thick shirt maybe, waterproof odd occasion yes.
          No idea on maternity sick leave here, haven’t looked into it…Interviews Skype is a favourite of many. Hope this helps!

        • Jim Adamson June 30, 2017, 1:25 pm |

          Melbourne & Sydney Residents never agree when discussing the Weather. Melbourne gets much colder & hotter than Sydney.
          Sydney is on the Eastern Seaboard, Melbourne is built on Port Phillip Bay. There is a huge difference swimming in the Ocean to swimming in a Bay.
          Sydney is many areas is very hilly Melbourne is flat.
          Example: We went to Melbourne for a week – we left the Hotel 10.30am it was a magnificent sunny day. We went for lunch, the weather was very cold & raining. Then the Sun came out again etc etc the nights were freezing. Bobinoz said if you like the 4 Seasons Melbourne is good but….you get the 4 Seasons in one day. Melbournians have told me they can live with the changeable hourly weather. Personally I prefer Sydney it is a City that is alive.& we do have 4 Seasons but not in the extreme Melbourne & Tasmania does.
          Having seen the horror of the Apartment Block ‘Glenfell’ & the tragedy due to the cladding…be warned it has been announced in Australia that we too have this dangerous cladding on Apartment Buildings in our Cities. Melbourne had a fire a couple of years ago in a High Rise Block it was discovered it too had the dangerous cladding…..the Apartments are privately owned & it is costing the owners millions$ to replace the cladding.

  • Em12 April 5, 2017, 6:20 am |

    Hi Bob,
    Im looking to study in oz as an international student but was wondering where the best place would be for someone who’s not so much into the drinking scene and prefers a more relaxed lifestyle with beaches relatively nearby and overall sunny weather.
    Thanks for the help, your websites a great help in learning about the different cities.

    • BobinOz April 5, 2017, 6:57 pm |

      Well, I don’t know what the universities are like in each place, but I’d suggest you look at Sunshine Coast, Adelaide and maybe Perth. If it’s sunny weather and beaches you want the most, I think Sunshine Coast would come top on that.

      Perth also has some fantastic beaches, but accommodation would probably be a little more expensive than the other two cities. Adelaide would probably be the cheapest, but a bit colder in the winter than the other two.

      Probably the downside of all three though is if you are hoping to find part-time work to help you with your finances, opportunities will be limited. Work is easier to find in Sydney and Melbourne, but then these are our two biggest cities with the kind of nightlife you are looking to avoid. They are also our most expensive cities.

      Hope that helps you a bit and good luck.

      • Em12 April 6, 2017, 5:26 am |

        Thanks for getting back to me that’s great, I’ll look more into the universities in those three cities. Is there much else to do at Sunshine Coast or are the beaches the main attraction there?

        • BobinOz April 6, 2017, 8:45 pm |

          Yes, there’s plenty of things to do on Sunshine Coast, it has Australia Zoo, for example. You may have heard of the late and greatly missed Steve Irwin, he opened that zoo.

          Maroochydore is the hub, and expanding fast I hear now, there’s also the massive Eumundi Markets, stunning hinterlands, and tourist hotspots of Maleny and Montville. It’s just not big on nightlife, although there are quite a few pubs.

          • Em12 April 7, 2017, 5:41 am |

            Thanks for all the information you’ve been a great help!

  • Mohamed Abobakr April 1, 2017, 8:36 am |

    Hi Bob.
    I am wondering if you can help me.
    My fiance and I are both pharmacists , and we started to study for the board exam, and I have some options :
    1) Queenland.
    2) Cannbera.
    3) Northern territory.
    I appreciate If you can help me with a little comparison.
    Thanks in advance.

    • BobinOz April 4, 2017, 6:08 pm |

      The information you need is already here, I have pages accessible from this very page for ALL states, territories and major cities. I also have my A Quick Guide to Choosing a City in Australia and then of course, each of those pages has hundreds and hundreds of comments from other people and many are about what these places I like to live in.

      Please do have a good look around, you will learn quite a bit about your three options.

      Cheers, Bob

  • Theuns March 20, 2017, 11:29 pm |

    Hi I am interested to immigrate and have twins and would like to move to Brisbane . I am I tested to gets business up and running and currently looking at various franchise oppertunities . Can you offer me help as will be without family or friends and feel my kids deserve a more stable environment to grow up and live in a country that is established and from my experience have proper family/ children based systems in place .

    • BobinOz March 21, 2017, 7:50 pm |

      No, this isn’t something I can help you with, you would need a business advisor for that. You will also need a valid visa to come to Australia and set up a business, so you really need to look into that first if you haven’t already. See my page about Visas.

  • Sami February 27, 2017, 1:44 am |

    Hi bob, me my husband and my 4year old are wanting to move to oz. we did a bit of traveling back in 2010 and loved it. We have a house in the uk which we were thinking of renting out. We need some advise on what to do and where to start. A skilled worker he is a carpenter/joiner he also fits windows and doors he has been doing this since leaving school he is now 31 I’m also a hairdresser which I do part time as well as working in a pharmaceutical warehouse picking and packing and doing the Administration side.

    We are a family now and we are wanting somewhere that is a family friendly town. We have been thinking about the Gold Coast or Brisbane we enjoyed both of these when we travelled .

    Could you give us some information on where to start and things to look at.

    We just need to know a process on where to start we seem to go round in circles and it’s frustrating with all the information online thank you for your time and looking forward to your reply.

    • Mark February 27, 2017, 6:39 am |

      Hi Sami If I may pitch in for now as Bob is having internet problems after moving house,.. Yes we have a company as bad as BT here… Technically you need to start with an Expression of interest (EOI) you can read through the details of that on Bobs site you could also argue you need to get all your paperwork together as you will need it for that EOI..
      You may with your job scenario be better speaking with a MARA agent Bob has again one on this site,,Any will do. They will assess your chances or tell you what you need to do extra to have an EOI accepted…Now I said technically as what you are trying to do within the EOI is create 60 or more points…There are several sites that you can do points calculations on beforehand as a test … Now it may mean that before you submit your EOI youd be better doing say an IELTS, PEARSON language test, you will see it in the points score, so working backwards check your points, see where you can improve if you dont have the 60 . eg x points for age (and dont hang about there 33 and you lose 5 points) if your husband is the main applicant… He may have to have his skills assessed and so on these will all add your points up..

    • BobinOz February 28, 2017, 1:03 am |

      My internet problems have now been solved and yes, as Mark has said, the place to start is with a MARA registered migration agent because without a visa to move to Australia nothing is going to happen.

      You can try to do it yourself, and my pages which are linked from my Migration Advice page will help you with that, or just use a migration agent. You can one of those from my page about Migration agents..

      As soon as you know where you stand on the visa side, that’s the time to start thinking about where to live in Australia.

  • Mark February 23, 2017, 6:22 am |

    Hi Niicola Ill pitch in for now as Bob is in the middle of moving house and may be suffering….Melbourne a hrte place I live there… Te other places worth I think looking are Sydney, Brisbane and the newly fast growing Wollongong…. Perth feels isolated to me as does Adelaide though thats because its quiet. If you have picked Melbourne give it a go..As to where? what would you look for Beach city nightlife quieter country style. do you have a budget for rent etc etc just so we can guide you better…Melbourne is a really big place have a look on realestate.au at some properties to give yu an idea for an answer…
    As regard the application process Id start now if you are looking at a full vIsa but I believe you may still at your age be able to come on a working visa which may be quicker application times….Have a look at working visas I think they may only be 12 months .

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