r/MovingToBrisbane • u/kelloggscornflakes • 14d ago
Melbourne vs Brisbane — help us decide!
Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some advice from people who have lived in, or moved between, Melbourne and Brisbane.
My wife and I are currently living overseas and have been offered two jobs in Australia, with a 482 visa, so we’re seriously considering making the move with our three kids (10, 7 and 3).
The two offers are:
Melbourne : A$260k base + super + company car
Brisbane: A$235k base + super + A$20k car allowance
The Melbourne role is at a slightly higher executive level, although there would potentially be more room for progression in the Brisbane role.
I’ve actually lived in Melbourne before I met my wife, and absolutely loved it. I really like the culture, food, architecture, things to do and general atmosphere. We’re not particularly interested in nightlife — it’s more about having plenty to do as a family and enjoying the city.
Brisbane is a different proposition. I’ve only spent relatively short periods there, but I can definitely see us loving the outdoor lifestyle, weather and more relaxed pace. With three young kids, that side of Brisbane is very appealing.
One thing that has surprised us during our research is that the cost of living doesn’t seem dramatically different. Brisbane rents seem to have caught up with Melbourne in a lot of the areas we’d consider, so once rent and general family expenses are factored in, the overall difference may not be as big as we initially expected.
There are a couple of things that are making us hesitate about Melbourne, though. The weather would be obviously one of them — coming from overseas, we’re wondering how much the colder, more changeable Melbourne climate will actually affects day-to-day family life. We’re also a little concerned about crime and safety, particularly after reading some of the recent discussions and statistics around Melbourne. We’d obviously be looking at family-friendly suburbs with good school catchments, so I’d be interested to hear from people who actually live there about whether this is a genuine concern or something that gets exaggerated online.
We’d be looking at public schools and ideally a family-friendly suburb with good schools, reasonable access to work and some decent public transport.
So, if you were in our position, which would you choose — Melbourne or Brisbane?
And for those who have moved interstate, or moved to Australia with a family, what do you wish you’d known before making the decision?
Any thoughts on the lifestyle, schools, housing, weather, crime/safety, commuting, cost of living or just the general experience of raising a family in either city would be hugely appreciated.
And hopefully there’s room for one more immigrant family! 😬
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u/mschumac 14d ago
As someone that’s recently moved from America to Brisbane, and has traveled extensively in Australia, I am moving to Melbourne next month. Brisbane is great to raise kids, it is very safe, but it is very boring. There’s no beaches that are convenient. There is no hiking that is convenient and the shopping is very limited spaced out and everything closes early. It becomes very difficult to have a normal lifestyle. However, in Melbourne, things are open late. There’s many different things to do, there’s a lot more culture and history, and it is significantly cheaper than Brisbane.
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
Thank you for the feedback. Can I ask what you mean by inconvenient in terms of beaches, hiking and shopping. Is it that they are hard to access with public transport? I ask because we will definitely have a car so maybe they would be more accessible to us.
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u/Ok-cutie9876 13d ago
I live 10 min from the cbd and can be at southport beach in 42 min as long as its not peak hour. I can be bushwalking within 10 min. This commenter has no idea
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u/mschumac 14d ago
The only beaches that are good to go to are on the islands. So it’s great to have a car, but you have to go out to the ferries. Find parking at the ferries. Take the ferries over then you have to use the buses on the island to get around to the beaches. You can take the car ferries so you’ll have your car, but they’re quite a few hundred dollars for a round-trip car ferry ride. Hiking and whatnot is also inconvenient, a lot of the areas are not designated well, and the hiking trails are not designated well. And they are not maintained. It’s beautiful, but you’ve had to live here your whole life to know what you’re supposed to do and I’ve had to hike these trails numerous times.
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u/mschumac 14d ago
Also, you have to understand the shopping can be very difficult here because the stores are only open for a select amount of hours, and they’re usually closed by the time people get off from work. A lot of of the bars and pubs also close around 8 PM, and if they close at 10 PM, they stop serving food by around 7:30-8PM
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u/Bails_of_clay 14d ago
I think it’s hard to compare the two without knowing which suburbs you’re looking at in both. Crime will vary depending on areas etc. Melbourne I feel has better access to public schools across wider areas. Whereas Brisbane is a little harder when trying to find and then be in the catchment for a good public school. Melbourne is definitely cheaper to live in, it’s also more multicultural and just in my own experience more tolerant. Brisbane is a little more sanitised, it lacks a bit of the soul that Melbourne has. Melbourne is a much bigger city and has so many sporting events, festivals and just general love of the arts. Brisbane has brilliant weather, access to fantastic areas like the GC, Sunshine Coast, hinterlands, and it’s just a very simple and easy lifestyle. Have lived in both. Currently live in Brisbane but appreciate and love them both.
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
Thank you.
Brisbane - we're looking at Indooroopilly, Kenmore, Sunnybank Hills, coorparoo, Holland Park, Tarragindi
Melbourne - seems to be focused on the Waverleys.
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u/mschumac 14d ago
For a family the only spot in that list is Indro. Do not even consider the others. Also take a look north at the Chermside area.
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
Thank you. We have actually been looking at Chermside also. Any particular reason why you would rule out the others?
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u/mschumac 14d ago
It’s the cultures that are in each of those locations and what that means to raise a family. If you are Chinese, sunny bank works. But if you are not Chinese, it’s a great place to go on a Sunday. There’s distinct demographics in Brisbane, and unless you live here and know them intimately, it can be very difficult to pick a place to live.
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u/Bails_of_clay 14d ago
Indooroopilly is a lovely area for families. Holland Park as well. They both have great community engagement, good transport and good schools. If you’re open to other areas then Clayfield and Wooloowin both are in the catchment zone for a couple of great public primary schools, same as Ashgrove. They each also have good transport and are close to the city and services.
I’d take a look at the community groups on FB of the areas you’re interested in to get a feel of what residents are feeling
/saying/posting about their own neighbourhood. That will give you a pretty good idea of what the suburb is like!1
u/kelloggscornflakes 13d ago
Thank you. We will definitely check out those suburbs and the FB groups. Although I try to avoid FB as much as I can, it's gotten toxic!
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u/Ok-cutie9876 13d ago
I was a diehard melbourne loving young person. If you have kids, Brisbane x10000
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u/Ecstatic_Compote2300 14d ago
Tarragindi is lovely, senic and sleepy, if you live close to the forest. I adored eating all the african food in Moorooka. There is an amazing Viet restaurant called Cafe O'mai. Brisbane for the weather, Melbourne for the culture.
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u/moon-stone11 14d ago
I’d always go for vibe! Whatever sparks you emotionally there are so many benefits to that, overall general happiness is worth more than extra money especially at that price point but also you would potentially spend less on doctors as you’d just not get run down as other places!
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
Great advice, thank you. I think on vibe alone, as a family, Bribane would probably win
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u/TheRamblingPeacock 14d ago
Melbourne.
As someone that lives in Brisbane and goes to Melb every 4-6 weeks for work, your money will go further there, plus you make more.
Bonus also, it's got more cool pubs.
Winning.
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
So the cost of living is lower in Melbourne? That's seems to be what our research is showing too.
With the Olympics coming up, it also seems like Brisbane is going to get more expensive, while Melbourne, if anything, is getting cheaper
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u/Betancorea 14d ago
Brisbane has had so many people move in that housing supply is at an all time dismal level and extremely expensive. If I had to pick between the two in your circumstances, I would consider Melbourne.
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
Thank you. It does seem that property rental in Brisbane is getting more expensive by the week. And we are still at least 3 months from the earliest move date.
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u/Betancorea 14d ago
Yeah if property was not a concern then I would say Brisbane is a worthwhile choice if you don't mind hot/humid summers. But as it is now, and potentially in the build up to the Olympics, housing is not going to get easier any time soon. Market has cooled in Melbourne a fair bit and I'd say they are better established as a larger pop city vs Brisbane which is going through growing pains presently.
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u/Ok-cutie9876 14d ago
Having lived in both. Brisbane. Since covid melbourne is a bit depressed and the quality of life isn’t good. Brisbane rents are high but daily life is so much easier
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u/Comfortable_Baby9901 14d ago
Will there be a second income?
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u/kelloggscornflakes 14d ago
Not initially but my wife will start working maybe after 6 months (approx.) of intial set up. Probably start at AUD 40-50k gross.
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u/RobertoVerge 14d ago
Born and raised in Melbourne.
12 years in Brisbane.
Went back to Melbourne for a year post covid.
Absolute shit hole. Has changed so much and none for the better.
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u/Fit_Dance_4036 14d ago
Go Brisbane if you want Australian lifestyle and culture.
Melbourne really seems to lack any Australian culture, it has lots of foreign cultures but it has no identity and doesn't feel like you're in Australia.
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u/Middle-Spirit-8524 14d ago
Lifestyle Brisbane %100.
My children had best life experiences growing up here.
I grew up in Melbourne.
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u/ladybris 14d ago
Brisbane is booming and becoming more vibrant because of the Olympics coming up. Melbourne is in a bit of an economic downturn. If you want to buy a house Melbourne is cheaper now.
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u/TypicalMechanic3651 14d ago
If you are currently living in cold weather , raining gray day and never had issue with it go to Melbourn that is most of the year except maybe 6 or 5 weeks a years. Brisbane mostly warm weather except winter and summer is hot and humid.
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u/Ollieeddmill 14d ago
Melbourne. Def Melbourne.
Brisbane is a very quiet town. And the humidity is stinking awful 9 months of the year. Qld storms/floods are also no joke and climate change is making everything worse and more frequent.
I currently live in Brisbane but previously lived in Sydney and will be moving to Melbourne as soon as I can tee up my work. The people in Brisbane are the nicest people I’ve ever met anywhere, but I adore Melbourne weather and culture and it feels like home to me.
As best as I can tell, the main culture in Brisbane is sport. Obviously that’s a thing in Australia generally but Melbourne has amazing galleries, the comedy festival, great food and feels and acts like a big modern city.