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New York vs. Los Angeles. Vancouver vs. Toronto. Sydney vs. Melbourne. I do love a healthy big city debate.
It’s quite natural to claim your home city as the best and to look down your noses at the heathens in your rival city. Sydney has held Australia’s spotlight for some time now as the “place to be”. They have the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and beautiful beaches. They had the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
But there was a reason we chose Melbourne when we moved to Australia almost two years ago. And no, it wasn’t because of the weather (it’s surprisingly cold and rainy here).
We’ve fallen in love with the city, with the cafe culture, the gorgeous and varied buildings, and the ease of moving around — both by public transit and by bicycle. You can spend days wandering around Melbourne’s inner suburbs — St. Kilda, Fitzroy, Brunswick, Prahran, Richmond, Collingwood, Footscray — each one claiming a unique culture and vibe.
Survey says what?
I’ve known it, the residents of Melbourne have known it, and now, apparently, the rest of Australia knows it. Melbourne is Australia’s most liveable city, according to this article in The Age that is. The results of an annual survey of 1200 Aussies have been released and Melbourne is the clear winner when it comes to sporting and cultural events, shopping and restaurants, cafes, clubs, and bars.
Melbourne has the Australian Open, the Melbourne Cup, the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. It has the cafes, the compact and interesting CBD, and an outstanding music scene. The shopping is second to none (at least my wife tells me — and I have good reason to believe her).
The tables have turned. The scales have tipped. Since 1999, Melbourne has crept up on Sydney and now holds a comfortable lead. I’ve visited Sydney several times and I’m backing up this survey 100%. Sydney is car-centric. The roads are massive and the vehicles plentiful. Public transport is a pain to use, and the bus drivers I’ve encountered were very unfriendly.
Other than the surf culture around the beaches, I don’t feel a vibe, except for the vibe of aggressive drivers honking at each other.
The debate isn’t new. The rivalry is even listed on Wikipedia and a quick Google search for “Melbourne vs. Sydney” will come up with many hits, which most seem to favor Melbourne.
Sydney. It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.
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For some of my favorite pastimes here, check out 5 Things to Do in Melbourne.
What have you got to say for yourself Sydney? Prove me wrong!
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When I first arrived in Australia (via Sydney) I had little knowledge of Melbourne. In fact, the only thing I knew was that it was that it is the 2nd largest city in Australia (thanks Wikipedia). So after checking out all the massive amounts of touristy things in Sydney I figured I’d drop by. The original plan, stay a week maybe two and then head to the warm and sunny north for the summer. Well it’s been 2 months now with no plan on leaving, I love this city. One thing though, you forgot to mention is the alleyway bars!
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Yup, good point. And judging by your gravatar, you enjoy a good night out
There were so many things I could have mentioned about Melbourne…one thing I probably should have is the multiculturalism of the city. It’s a true melting pot.
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Alleyway bars?! I’m in. Although I’d love to sample both cities, y’know, just for a fair assessment.
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Yeah. We know.
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Might be a bit of bias here considering the author
but I’ve heard better things about Melbourne then Sydney too. I’m pretty sure they both rule over Perth anyway. Am heading to them both next month so will have a more solid opinion then.
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I Love Melbourne, It is my home town, I was born there. I live in Edinburgh now, and there is a similar laid back ‘feel’ here. (and similar cold rainy weather
) I think think thats why I love Edinburgh so much.
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Hi Emma…how is living in Edinburgh? Is it hard to find work? Say, admin work or IT work? We are planning on going to the UK at some point (maybe in 1.5 years or so). We’ve just assumed London, but we’ve also thought about Edinburgh briefly, it sounds more up our alley…but one of London’s draws is it’s a good base to go and travel around Europe easily. Even just to pop over to Paris (I’ve always wanted to be able to “pop over” to Paris) for a long weekend or something.
How is Edinburgh for getting in and out of?
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Sydney Harbour is the most beautiful natural harbour in the world. Sydney has the best aquarium, the harbour bridge, museum, the rocks, bondi beach, blue mountains, Sydney Opera House etc. Sydney is a marvelous place for travelers across the world. Melbourne is a good place but it is just good for living. I prefer Sydney as a city that has lot of tourist attraction as compared to Melbourne.
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Thanks for your input Jessica. The study (and my opinion) is more about livability. As far as travelers/tourists go, if they had to choose one city to spend a few days in, Sydney would definitely be able to provide more “touristy” things to do.
We’ve hosted lots of guests through Couchsurfing and they always ask us what to do here, and we’re usually almost at a loss for words. Because it’s not like Sydney where you check go and tick these things off your list. It’s a city with a vibe that you just have to spend time feeling…so if you just want to chill out, hang out in cafes/bars/parks, people-watch, and have a more all-round experience then this is it. But if you want a quick visual explosion, then Sydney could provide that.
And Bondi is overrated! Of course, if you want to see and be seen, then it’s the spot. But I prefer Manly or even Maroubra in Sydney.
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I’ve abstained from commenting since I haven’t been to Melbourne yet, but someone’s gotta stick up for Sydney! Having moved here from the Northeastern U.S., I ADORE Sydney’s weather, as well as the endless outdoor activities that it affords year-round. You have no idea how much good weather can improve your quality of life until you move to a place with a year-round average temperature of 70 degrees! And we can even take the train to hiking in the Blue Mountains or Royal National Park. Meanwhile, our friend who moved to Melbourne at the same time as us spent the winter complaining about the rain, wind, and permanent dampness that seemed to take over her apartment.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that the above-mentioned survey just *might* be slightly biased, as you’ll notice it was conducted by the Victorian Government. I’m just sayin’. The bottom line, though, is that both cities seem like fantastic places to live. Aussie Aussie Aussie!
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I live in Sydney but my favourite city in Australia is Melbourne. I always recommend Melbourne to visitors but the general reaction is “what was all the fuss about?”. The problem is that Melbourne isn’t suited to short breaks (unless you’ve been there before). It takes time to get into the vibe but once you do, you appreciate it as one of the best cities in the world.
Sydney suits a short break, it has all the sights. Its only when you live there that you start to realise its many shortcomings.
And Bondi is totally overrated but the Bondi walk is one of the best things in the world!↵ -
Hi Conor, is this the Bondi to Coogee walk? I agree, that is beautiful. We’ve walked that and also from Coogee down to Maroubra. It is gorgeous down there, and pretty quiet, once you get away from the big beaches.
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My 19 year old son is heading to Melbourne to play soccer. We live in Michigan, U.S. He’ll be leaving in a few weeks. Any suggestions on what to bring, or how to prepare? He doesn’t know anyone, and will be staying in hostels until he gets settled. Any help, or guidance will be appreciated!
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Well, if he were arriving today I’d say bring an umbrella. It’s pouring!
We’re starting to hit the summer stride, so he can probably expect it to be quite warm (can get to high 30s, even low 40s in peak, and it’s very dry), but Melbourne is notorious for “4 seasons in one day”, so the most important tip in regards to weather is: layers.
As for meeting people, I would say he join up to couchsurfing.com and meetup.com and look for groups with similar interests. I’ve met some fellow Canadians by joining the Canadian ex-pat meetup group in Melbourne. There will be one for the US for sure too. And probably soccer groups too, maybe meeting people to watch some games or something. And he should definitely sign up at the Matador Community! There are several Melburnian members.
Otherwise, it really is just a city to soak in, he will love it I am sure. It’s very lively and there is something always on the go.
How long will he be here for?
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He will be there between 10 and 12 mos. Waiting on his passport and then he applies for a Visa, so he can work. Any other tips? I appreciate the ones you have given.
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as carlo said CouchSurfing is the best thing, it has changed my world and should do the same for your son, the biggest thing for him will be the drinking age, since he can legal drink in this country make sure he packs lots of money(even crappy beer is expensive) or just make sure he adds tang to the “goon” and if he is used to the Michigan weather as i am with the Washington state weather (-10 in the winter 90+ summer) and visiting during the winter months (nov-march) then just pack a water proof shell, a light fleece, and then just the normal summer gear hey will be ok.
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More tips can be taken from these other two articles I’ve written about Melbourne:
http://matadortrips.com/melbourne-a-surprise-awaits-you-at-every-turn/
http://matadortrips.com/5-things-to-do-in-melbourne/
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I’m always bemused when people say they’re surprised at how cold X or Y is in Australia. It’s a massive country, the same size as the USA without Alaska or the bigger than the European continent and yet these places don’t attract the same comment…
Anyway, having never been to Melbourne and having visited Sydney only a few times my obvious answer would have to be Sydney. I’ve never had the desire to go to or have much knowledge of Melbourne. What turns me off the place is the apparent attitude that Melbournites have towards Sydney. The chip on the shoulder syndrome. Much like what New Zealand is to Australia, the north of England to the south, the UK to the US and so on. People obsessed with proving they’re better than their ‘bigger/better’ rival.
I’m sure it’s lovely but everyone from Melbourne that I meet has this attitude while people from Sydney just don’t care. So on that basis… Sydney all the way.
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Hey Evan, you might be right about “little brother syndrome” (although it’s a sweeping generalization), but I think you’re doing yourself a big disservice to write it off based on that. Does that mean you wouldn’t go to New Zealand too?
Rest assured, this “attitude” isn’t something you would see in daily life in Melbourne. Anyway, it’s your choice in the end!
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I’m not writing Melbourne off, just saying I have no urge to go there and visit it anytime soon. It’s definitely not on my must visit list by any means but one day I’ll end up going and if it’s as good as you say it is I’m sure it’ll be great.
But each to their own. You clearly love the place and I don’t.
If we’re talking world cities, I don’t think either has that much to offer in comparison to Berlin, Rome, New York or London. Sydney does have that something though.
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Sydney has vibe, it’s localised to the different suburbs, you just have to take a while to suss it out.. the touristy areas and the CBD are pretty dead.
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Hi trish, out of curiosity which suburbs are you referring to? And what kinds of vibe do they have? I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the beachy suburbs so know that vibe well, plus also have done quite a bit of walking around, and not in the touristy areas.
I’ve been to the city and around maybe 10 times or so, and none of those have changed my mind about it, in fact the visits usually vindicate our decision to move to Melbourne…but I’d love to be proven wrong!
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I disagree with your claim that in the google search “sydney vs Melbourne” most favour Melbourne. I suggest your own bias has come up with that conclusion
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I don’t think I know Melbourne well enough to comment on a comparison between them extensively, however my pilates teacher in Sydney is an American who put the debate between the two cities as this way: Melbournians perceive there to be a contest between the two, whereas Sydneysiders don’t give Melbourne much thought.
I think we should be celebrating our cities for what they offer, and not pitting them against each other. If you’re looking for livability, a more friendly and laid-back Aussie city life with a strong cultural scene, then Melbourne is a good choice. If you like more of a big-city feel, the beach is important to you and, like me, enjoy the vibe the gay community brings, then Sydney is a good choice.
Simply put, they’re both great.
And that said, I would prefer to live in Barcelona or Paris.
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Having lived in Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles, Sydney, Melbourne (and visited San Francisco, lol) I def have an opinion
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Melbourne. If you are on a concession rate the all-day tram rate is unbeatable.
FOOD: Both cities have fantastic restaurants but the produce in Melbourne is fresher, tastier and MUCH more affordable if you prefer organic. Also, alot of Stateside favorites are easily found in Melbourne where in Sydney they apparently have no residency.
CLOTHING: Melbourne KILLS Sydney when it comes to style. I love my clothing, however, the pricing in both cities is a bitch. I just buy online and save even with the shipping and conversion rate
CULTURE: I love that Mebourne got the Bourdin exhibit in ‘04 and currently has Burton. MCA had Fiona Foley (I missed it in Sydney than it hadn’t opened yet when my plane landed in Brisbane – dammit!) and the Powerhouse is great but Sydney many times doesn’t compare to the diversity of Melbourne.
PEOPLE; Sydney folks are much nicer this round (I’ve done 4 rounds in Sydney at different life cycles). Melbourne folks appear to ALWAYS be nice. However, I feel Sydney folks have more passion, Melbourne folks are a little too laid back for me.
So, after 12 years living Stateside which city did we choose to live in?
We chose SYDNEY. GORGEOUS Harbour. Every tour that happens pops in Sydney. If I have to give up living in the States (I really didn’t want to leave, had to for my disabled son) I couldn’t imagine NOT spending time on the beach. We currently live on block away from the beach, and are not even 10 miles for the city CBD. Sorry Melbourne, love my rompers and short-shorts and bikinis and mini-dresses too much and want at LEAST a good 6 months stretch per year to feel the sun kiss my body
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I also have to agree with the other folks who prefer American/European cities. Australia is fine for a couple of years but living here longterm I could NEVER do. I think because of how isolated it is as well as the Immigration Restriction Act/White Australia Policy that was in place until Whitlam disabled it, Australia lacks the ‘vibes’ and ’soul’ that places like ‘Nawlins, SF, London etc just REEK of. Also, as someone who has grown up in multi-cultural settings I really miss the Caribbean vibe that barely has any presence in Australia. I’m cool with my Asian and Polynesian people, love ‘yall, but I prefer my Americans, South Americans, European and Caribbean folks and there food/culture/fashion
Mx
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Haha I think I might have been the Trish that posted this, sounds like something I’d say—
Personally I like it in Glebe and Newtown, Glebe is a good mix of community housing, students and then young families. They’ve got nice markets on weekends and it’s the kind of place where you get to know your barista.
Newtown is ‘grungier’, I guess, but it’s got some good pubs and super cheap eats. Everleigh (Carriageworks) has great weekend markets now- Saturday morning for organic fruit & veg & foodie things, it’s become a bit of a hangout for the inner west and their dogs.
Surry has some great bars and fantastic cafes but I always feel underdressed when I go there! It’s a bit of a hipster neighborhood. Likewise Paddington, but I’m not there much.
Darlinghurst & Surry have sprouted a bunch of little bars now that the liquor laws have changed. It’s probably no where near Melbourne standards but there’s some pretty good ones- like Shady Pines and Dr. Pong and Pocket and Cafe Lounge and Chingalings.
The top end of Kings Cross down to Wooloomoloo has all these lovely old art deco apartment buildings, I like the feel of history about it, like the original Cross personalities still live there.
It’s funny that when people come to Sydney they generally see the CBD and then go to the beaches, but the inner west is completely different to the north/costal/eastern suburbs, I rarely go to these places. If I did, it would probably ‘average out’ my view of Sydney!
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Glebe was great in the 1990’s. Now there’s nothing to do there except eat. The soul has looooooooooong gone and truthfully, it just feels dirty these days
Newtown has GREAT stores. Problem is, you can buy everything cheaper online, the prices are jacked up enormously. Again, was great in the 1990’s.
Surry Hills used to be filled with grungy artist types. Used to be a tonne of great lofts. Gentrification began pre-Olympics. You still have cool folks, you just gotta turn over the rocks
For food, you can’t beat the West. BEST Lebanese/Asian dishes. I don’t eat pork and I was compelled to eat a pork stirfry it was that orgasmic. But come Summer the heat is unbearable. The West is a place I choose to visit, but when I live in Sydney I live on the Coast. You can catch a bus directy to Leichhardt from Coogee for a day of shopping and browsing and eating and than come back and enjoy a swim
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