Ever wondered what living in Sydney would be like? Or are you about to relocate to the ‘Harbour City’ and want some insight into the living in Sydney pros and cons?
If so, here are some tips below highlighting the advantages of living in Sydney as well as the disadvantages of living in Sydney.
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Pros and Cons of Sydney Tips:
1. Plenty of upcoming festivals Sydney is home to (PRO)
One thing Sydney is renowned for is its lifestyle. Putting COVID aside, the city is often a buzz and has many things to experience.
Some of our favourite family-friendly cultural events Sydney offers are:
- Chinese New Year Sydney Festival (February)
- Valentines Day celebrations (February)
- Mardi Gras Sydney (February/ March)
- Parramasala (March)
- Sydney Royal Easter Show (April)
- Vivid Show Sydney (May/June)
- Bastille Festival Sydney (July)
- Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival (August)
- Sculptures by the Sea (October)
- New Year Celebration in Sydney (December/January)
Our favourite guides to find out the Sydney events calendar and what to do in Sydney are TimeOut and What’s On Sydney.
Both also have a family-friendly section highlighting popular activities, attractions and events to experience with the family in Sydney. Also we have many handy guides on Sydney including our top things to do in Sydney in winter with kids guide.
Also, there’s a ton of sights and attractions in Sydney to explore such as the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Cockatoo Island, Taronga Zoo, SeaLife Aquarium, Sydney Tower, WildLife Zoo, Chinese Garden of Friendship and Sydney Botanical Gardens.
Inside Taronga Zoo.
DEALS: Fun Things To Do In Sydney With Kids
And, don’t get me started with how many restaurants, cafes, bars and food markets are in Sydney – there’s simply too many.
These are just some of the amazing benefits of living in Sydney.
2. Living cost in Sydney for a family is high (CON)
With such a lifestyle comes with it a hefty price tag, Sydney is an expensive town to live in, especially if you have a family.
It’s not ranked one of the most expensive cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit for nothing.
From groceries, clothing, schooling to entertainment – these often cost more in Sydney compared to other Australian cities, and it has to be one of the top negatives about the place.
Also, the median price of a property in Sydney in 2022 is a whopping $1.66 million dollars (up over 30 per cent in the last year) and the highest in the country.
This is quite remarkable as Australia’s wage growth is still lagging with the RBA saying more than 50 per cent of jobs (so a large majority) were currently experiencing little to no wage growth as reported by ABC News. However, the RBA did forecast wage growth should pick up by 2023.
Renting seems no better with the median price sitting at $650 a week for 2022. And, be warned a lot of these properties aren’t anything special. Expect shared laundries, old interiors, old buildings and no parking.
And, if you have a family finding a rental or home to purchase can be challenging in those high demand (and expensive) suburbs such as Hunters Hill, Mosman, Lane Cove, Strathfield, Hornsby, Gladeville, Randwick, Woollahra, Rose Bay, Rozelle, Erskineville, Liverpool and Frenchs Forest.
Because of this many families are forced to live in Sydney’s far outer suburbs, and it’s very common for city workers to take well over an hour (each way) to commute to/from work or work remotely.
Overall, I think the Sydney property market is easily a con when living in Sydney.
3. Sydney is a beautiful city (PRO)
As the city is built around the harbour it offers breathtaking ocean views. Also, the weather is moderate with an average year-round temperature of 16-26 degrees making it the perfect place to get outdoors.
The biggest drawcard to Sydney is its close proximity to some of the world’s best beaches. In under 10km you can get from the city to Bondi, Coogee or Bronte.
Manly’s Shelley Beach.
Also, a little further out and you can access other renowned beaches such as Manly, Freshwater, Palm Beach and Cronulla.
Some of our top Sydney family attractions that highlight its stunning harbour and outdoor beauty are:
- Coogee to Bondi Walk
- Manly Ferry Ride
- Opera House to Mrs Macquaries Chair Walk. Tip: take a detour through Royal Botanic Gardens
- Walk along Blackwattle Bay
- Figure 8 Pools at the Royal National Park
- Walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Snorkel Clovelly Beach
- Bike through Sydney Olympic Park or Centennial Park
The scenic harbour views and outdoor activities Sydney offers is easily a pro.
4. Getting around Sydney is a nightmare (CON)
One of the biggest of Sydney cons is the city relies heavily on cars and buses – traffic is dreadful.
During its peak times (outside of COVID) or when there are accidents, rain and a long weekend coming up, the city goes into complete gridlock.
A transport audit report even confirms this, finding Sydney has seven of the top eight worst/most-congested roads in the country.
The city does have trains however the lines are inflexible compared to those systems in New York, London and Tokyo etc.
There are ferries but services are limited and fares are a bit expensive. For example, the Manly to/from Circular Quay ferry is around $7.50 one way compared to a $4.50 bus journey.
WATCH: Pros and cons of living in Sydney
After more tips for living in Sydney? Here’s a handy story profiling my top five tips for moving to Sydney where to live, what to do etc.
Do you or have you lived in the Harbour City? Tell us what your pros and cons of living in Sydney are?
