Why Is Sydney Still Australia’s Most Expensive Place To Live?


Sydney is still Australia’s most expensive place to live, but Melbourne and Brisbane are not far behind. Singapore and New York have tied for the title of world’s most expensive city in this year’s Worldwide Cost of Living report. Perth seems to be the only Aussie capital bucking the trend. Sydney has been ranked the 10th most expensive place to live in the world, even more expensive than last year, when the Economist had Sydney in 14th position. It’s not particularly great news for other Australian cities either, with Melbourne ranked 15th most expensive place to live in the world, up from 16th last year, while Brisbane moved to 32 from 36. What do you think LiveTribers? Why is Sydney Still Australia’s most expensive place to live?

Posted by on 10 Jan 2023

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  • [1] [0]
    icelord

    Used to live there some 20 years ago. It was expensive then, so probably worse now. Would not go back there.

    Posted by icelord on 26 Feb 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    cleveralex

    The most prosperity city in australia with the highest population

    Posted by cleveralex on 26 Feb 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Guntis

    Pricing is going up and up in Sydney. Offers are worse and worse...

    Posted by Guntis on 19 Feb 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    deborah

    New Zealand is the same the price of living has rocketed so many homeless and poverty and subsequently crime

    Posted by deborah on 06 Feb 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Gabi87

    Sydney is well-know around the world, and sometime mistaken as capital of Australia. The more demand, the higher the price.

    Posted by Gabi87 on 30 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Lee1

    Sydney is by far the most populated and busiest city in Australia, and its prices have always been the most expensive. Housing prices are ridiculous, but I have also noticed Melbourne and Brisbane are tagging not that far behind, sadly. I would never think of living in Sydney because it is way too busy and impersonal for me.

    Posted by Lee1 on 26 Jan 2023
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    Jay

    as the biggest city in Australia, Sydney would naturally become the most expensive city. I think it is also because Sydney has a very unbalanced economic structure.

    Posted by Jay on 26 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Seshachalapathi

    I love Sydney and would love to live there but it is just so expensive with the price of property and just to basically get around. Would live there in a heartbeat though.

    Posted by Seshachalapathi on 26 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Yojimbo

    It's always been expensive for years now, it's just getting worse nowadays. I'd say it's just more developed than any other Australian state.

    Posted by Yojimbo on 22 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Elva

    it's expensive because of its high demand from locals and especially international students

    Posted by Elva on 22 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    anna

    because it is basically the gateway for everything.

    Posted by anna on 22 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    LeafyGreen

    Supply and demand, most want to live near the harbour so those prices would be higher which overall pushes all the other areas up.

    Posted by LeafyGreen on 18 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    cazzle

    Because most people want to live in Sydney therefore they inflate the prices of the homes there.

    Posted by cazzle on 16 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Tara Rata

    The higher the demand the more people will charge. The viscous cycle of profit and need for want

    Posted by Tara Rata on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Jigsaw

    It's expensive because it's in demand and popular

    Posted by Jigsaw on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    yelsha42

    Probably because it's the main entry in Australia

    Posted by yelsha42 on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Tabsta

    Big city for a small country. Its where the world sees us. It brings in entertinment.

    Posted by Tabsta on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    apeattie

    Sydney is a nice place to live with good tourist attractions and heaps of big companies for job opportunities. However, people keep moving to Brisbane from Sydney and inflating our housing prices which is highly frustrating

    Posted by apeattie on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    kendallx3

    More opportunities for better jobs

    Posted by kendallx3 on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    bianks21

    People are attracted to the big lights and lifestyle of Sydney and while people are willing to pay to live in these "exclusive" places, people will keep charging a premium to do so... Supply and demand really

    Posted by bianks21 on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Zi

    Rich people tend to stay in Sydney. Jack up the price.

    Posted by Zi on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Chin

    Agree with most - Sydney has always been the most expensive city in Australia. Should I count myself lucky that I live in Perth? But I am not a FIFO so my income is not that high.

    Posted by Chin on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [2] [0]
    Windog

    Because it is home to a higher proportion of Australia's over-paid business executives who can afford to pay inflated prices for products and services from other greedy capitalistic types, who don't give a toss about the less well paid who suffer as a result.

    Posted by Windog on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    david

    I believe it attractive to tourists

    Posted by david on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    vlee

    I'm in my sixties and for as long as I can remember Sydney has always been expensive compared to other cities. I think it's mainly because NSW has always seemed to be the place celebrities want to live which drives the prices of houses up higher.

    Posted by vlee on 11 Jan 2023
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    Lucia

    Honestly I doubt it.. Melbourne is terrible and getting very expensive

    Posted by Lucia on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Helen

    Sydney always has and always will be the most expensive..For goodness sake, going to a park toilet costs, I was horrified that I had to pay to take my little one to the park toilet. Sydney is stunning, has the best known tourist attractions. I would never live there - visit -yes. It's the best known, overpopulated, not properly governed. Too many diverse demographics, they need stronger people in power to take control of the greedy, it starts with accommodation and then everything else needs to be expensive to cover that need.

    Posted by Helen on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    dih

    Totally agree, I've lived here all my life and have hated it for years. The greed and and self indulgent high flyers that live here infuriate me and make it impossible for the everyday hard working Aussie battler to do okay for themselves. Far too many diverse groups housed her, governed by a whole party of ineffective dopes living in a dream bubble - yes, it does all start with accommodation - we are in crisis, families and people living in their cars, sleeping on the streets, in parks and we can expect another 60,000 immigrants to take up the majority of what little community/emergency accommodation there is. Sadly Australia is just becoming more of an embarrassment, not a place I am proud to call home, I would give anything to live elsewhere.

    Posted by dih on 07 Jul 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    CATHAY

    I think it always has been since I can remember, although due to rising costs of everything in NSW people are just starting to realise it has been this way for a long time. I just wonder how many people have relocated to Sydney and how many have actually left due to higher costs.

    Posted by CATHAY on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Ashlee

    I agree that sydney is expensive to live, however work and career opportunities abound. So it can come close to equalling out.

    Posted by Ashlee on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Foz

    I think it is because it is attractive to tourist but it appears poorly designed and it is spread over a very large and sprawling area

    Posted by Foz on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    sandra

    I enjoyed visiting Sydney a few years ago as a tourist but wouldn't want to live there. I don't know if it is still the same but public transport was very budget friendly with lots of services. For most things it is supply and demand - housing, food and fuel prices will stay high as long as people need them.

    Posted by sandra on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Spiderwoman

    The harbour with the opera house and the bridge is beautiful. I like to visit but find it exhausting. What would it be like to live there (other than expensive & elitist) I would like to hear...

    Posted by Spiderwoman on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    B92

    Perth isn’t as cheap as it seems, I’ve lived in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne within the last 5 years and found that Perth was the most expensive for eating out, groceries, services such as chiro/doctor. The only thing cheaper is housing.

    Posted by B92 on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    richardli

    I just move to Sydney from Brisbane. My feeling is, in terms of career development, Sydney is way better than Brisbane.

    Posted by richardli on 11 Jan 2023
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    Paul

    I think its because Sydney is the place where new migrants flood to due to job opportunities, hences contributing to the cost of living.

    Posted by Paul on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Sue

    I think that the cost of buying or renting a place to live must be the main reason for this, and that's a question of supply and demand. Other costs [energy, food, transport] seem to me to be similar in all the state capitals. Sydney's public transport may even be cheaper than in other states.

    Posted by Sue on 11 Jan 2023
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    wrestling collector

    Sydney,I believe is best known worldwide as far as international tourists are concerned & tourists areas everywhere are more expensive than everywhere else.

    Posted by wrestling collector on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Rachel

    I have only been to Sydney once and it was so over crowded. I would not like to live there. Not to sure why it’s so expensive. Brisbane is becoming very expensive too and the population here is increasing heavily. It won’t be long until Brisbane becomes similar to Sydney in relation to pricing

    Posted by Rachel on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Kittykato

    It's supply and demand. People want to live there and just have to pay the prices asked.

    Posted by Kittykato on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    tassiegirl

    Many people want to live there. Also it is combined with increasing and high interest mortgage rates. Our bills for electricity, gas, water and the council are hefty too. The cost of buying food too is increasing, due to droughts, fires and less people to pick the fruit and vegetables. .

    Posted by tassiegirl on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    kinalillet

    Sydney is a very stressful place, Melbourne is better but Adelaide and Canberra are the best.

    Posted by kinalillet on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    vlee

    Yeah, I live in Adelaide and can't imagine living anywhere else. I love the lifestyle.

    Posted by vlee on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    merryl

    People who live in Sydney think that it is the centre of the world and will pay too much for everything. I lived there for a couple of years and I would never live there again.

    Posted by merryl on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Jibberman

    every country has a main city and Sydney is ours but give me Melbourne any day.

    Posted by Jibberman on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Ally42

    I guess it's a place many people want to live so that's driven up demand for property and also probably has more tourists than anywhere else in Australia which drives up demand also.

    Posted by Ally42 on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Michelle

    Mortgage is high pressure to keep up with the Jones and after pay and credit cards are way too easy just guessing

    Posted by Michelle on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Brian

    As a West Australian…just the thought of purchasing housing in Sydney…is mind blowing…glad to live the other side of the country…

    Posted by Brian on 11 Jan 2023
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  • [2] [0]
    mact

    Because our greedy Federal Governments of either colour have not had the guts to restrict negative gearing and 50percent discount on real estate capital gains as well as NOT severely restricting immigration and making real estate purchases by non Australians illegal! Pretty simple really......as Gordon Gecko in Wallstreet postulated.... Greed is Good! You can't change greedy vendors, banks and realtors.....but you can clip their greedy wings!!!!

    Posted by mact on 10 Jan 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    ere

    No idea why. I've visited a number of times and Sydney is interesting but nothing special. Too noisy and busy for me. If people are prepared to pay high prices it's up to them

    Posted by ere on 10 Jan 2023
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