Melbourne city and why it’s considered one of the most liveable places in the world

Melbourne city is commonly known for its friendly people, countless business opportunities and desirable lifestyles. That’s why so many immigrants have claimed this city as their “love at first sight”. Read this article to find out more about Melbourne facts, cost of living, education, entertaining activities.

Melbourne city facts and figures

Melbourne city is not only Victoria’s capital city but it’s also the business, administratives and cultural center of the state. The entire Melbourne covers 9992.5 km² with a population of 4.96 millions people. To be more specific, the city of Melbourne extends over 37.7 km² with many inner suburbs. Each suburb has their own distincts related to working and living there.

The location

Located at latitude 37 degrees 49 minutes south and longitude 144 degrees 58 minutes east on the south-east of Australia. The metropolitan Melbourne’s suburbs spread up to 40 km to the south and 20 km to the north. To the east, the Greater Melbourne area is surrounded by the Dandenong and the land extends over vast basalt plains to the west.

The weather

The weather here in Melbourne city is considered quite enjoyable by the locals and tourists. From warm and hot summer to cool winter, there are several activities for you to participate in during each season.

However, just like any other areas in Australia and in the world, Melbourne city weather can be unpredictable sometimes, so make sure you prepare for anything.

If you are intending to visit Melbourne with a Visitor visa – subclass 600, you should research about the weather during your stay beforehand.

If you’re going to study in Melbourne with a Student visa – subclass 500, make sure you bring enough clothes for all kinds of weather here.

For instance, take an umbrella with you or wear layers of clothes which can be taken off when needed just in case. While staying in Melbourne city, you can enjoy the clean air quality as the city doesn’t suffer from high levels of air quality.

The people

Melbourne city is a diverse cultural city as it is the home to people from a variety of different types of cultures and ages. The median age in Melbourne is 35.3 with 36.7% of residents being born overseas. Since 2014, 73,946 people have arrived in Melbourne.

The language

With its diverse culture, you are supposed to find a wide range of languages here in Melbourne. Although the official language spoken is English, there are more than 100 languages spoken by Melbourne citizens including Mandarin, Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic and Vietnamese.

Therefore, whether you choose to visit Melbourne for holidays or plan on becoming a permanent resident, you can always find the suitable community for you here.

To quickly adapt to Melbourne city, your English skills must be at a certain level. Here in VEM, we provide Australian-English courses that are specifically designed to your abilities and purposes. No matter where you are in the world, you can still sign up for an online course with us.

Your English ability will improve as well as your knowledge of Australia after finishing our programs.

Melbourne’s traffic

The traffic

According to the TomTom Traffic Index report:

The congestion level in Melbourne city in 2020 was 23% decreased by 7% compared to 2019.

During rush hour, the congestion level in 2020 was 34% in the morning and 39% in the evening. Both of the numbers have dropped by nearly 20% compared to 2019.

The time lost in rush hour – per trip is 10 minutes for a 30-minute drive during the morning and 12 minutes for a 30-minute drive during the evening. You are advised to travel after 8 A.M and before 3 P.M to avoid traffic jams.

For Melbourne city map and street directories, please visit:

• Whereis.com.au
• Street-directory.com.au
• Google maps
• Melway.com.au

Public transport

The people in Melbourne city are no stranger to the public transport system here since they use it literally daily to get to work and get around.

1. Trains, trams and buses

No matter what form of public transport you use throughout Melbourne, you can pay for all of them with one payment method: a myki card. It’s a plastic card to substitute for money. All you need to do is “touch on” when you start and “touch off” when you finish.

2. Taxis

Available in urban and regional areas in Melbourne city. You can recognize a cab in Melbourne city for its distinct look with a sign on the roofs and the branding painted on their doors. There are 3 five ways to hail a cab.

• Make a phone or online booking
• Wait at a taxi-cab rank
• Hail a taxi from the side of the road or using an App

The government

To ensure all aspects of society runs smoothly, Melbourne city is governed by three levels of government including

• Local government: with 79 councils spreads across the city to govern any local government services.
• State government: govern all details related to the society at a state level.
• Federal government: responsible for regulating all of Australia’s national and international interests.

Why is Melbourne city a place to be in Australia?

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2018 global ranking, Melbourne city has knocked off 10 cities in Australia, New Zealand and Canada with a perfect 100 scores in healthcare, education and infrastructure.

The cost of living in Melbourne

Melbourne city came as the 58th place among the world in Mercer’s 2018 Cost of Living Survey. This list was about most expensive cities to live in, which indicates that the Melbourne living expenses are quite affordable compared to other global cities.

World-renowned healthcare

Given 100 points in the Mercer’s 2018 Cost of Living Survey, Melbourne healthcare system has proven to be outstanding. Because the life expectancy of residents has been prolonged throughout the year.

There are many healthcare services for you to choose from private and public hospitals to community health services or dental services, etc.

A variety of accommodation

Depending on your purposes, taste and budget, there’s always a suitable accomodation for you to choose during your stay in Melbourne city. The choice is yours to make.

1. Temporary accommodation

• Short-stay apartments: Prices range from 120-300 AUD per night (usually decrease for longer stays); fully furnished; located in the inner and bayside suburbs of Melbourne city.
• Private houses and apartments: Prices vary widely; fully furnished; cleaning and service room are not usually available.
• Hotels and motels: Prices vary widely; available across Melbourne.

2. Renting a house or apartment

The price for rental properties is varied depending on the location, size and how long you will be staying.

Most rental properties won’t come with furniture, but will generally include:

• Heating
• Hot water systems
• Lightning
• Kitchen cupboards
• Curtains or blinds

You can visit these websites for detailed information:

• Domain.com.au
• Realestate.co.au
• FlatmateFinders.com.au
• Gumtree.com.au

3. Buying a house

This is a big step on your new life journey. This decision requires careful preparation and consideration as it’s one of the first steps in your settlement process.

Due to COVID-19, house prices may experience some changes depending on the regions.

World leading education

Melbourne city is home to one of the top schools in not only Australia but also worldwide. The educational system includes different types of school from kindergarten to university for people everywhere.

Besides, Melbourne has the highest ranked university in Australia and the third highest in the Asia Pacific. Here are some examples of school tuition fee for 3 types of school in Melbourne:

1. English school

Based on Scotch College, 1 Morrison Street, Hawthorn, VIC 3122

2. International school

Based on St Leonard’s College, 163 South Road, Brighton East, VIC 3187

3. Private local school

Based on Wesley College, 577 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 300

4. Melbourne is also the home to many famous universities

According to the QS World University Rankings in 2020:

• University of Melbourne landed at the 41^thplace with a score of 76.5
• Monash University landed at the 55^thplace with a score of 70.9

Melbourne’s outstanding education system is worth considering if you’re looking to study abroad. A student visa (subclass 500) allows you to acquire your desired education. Contact VEM for accurate consultancy. We’ll help you plan out your studying journey from start to finish.

Finding a job in Melbourne city

Victoria only takes up 3% of Australian’s land mass, but it’s accountable for almost 25% of the Australian’s economy. In addition to that, Australia is one of the safest and most stable countries to start your business. Because of that, choosing to live and work in Melbourne would be a wise choice if you’d like to grow your business and investments.

People in Australia often use written applications for jobs. For the best chance of being selected, you should tailor your application to the job you’re applying for; make it clear, concise and easy to read.

Additionally, your cover letter should be on one page. Job applications are sent by email, mail or lodged electronically on a website, although some companies may require different preferences.

Useful websites for your job hunting and CVs:

• Seek.com.au
• Careerjet.com.au
• Au.indeed.com
• The Australian
• The Weekly Times
• The Age

Before arriving in Melbourne, you should gather all of the important documents such as: diplomas or degrees, school records, work records, etc. In order to increase your CV standard, you can also ask for previous job references and testimonials.

Just like any country in the world, the requirements for settlement in different states are largely varied. You must be able to satisfy some specific criterias in order to become a resident of that state.

That’s why VEM is here to help you with that. Here, we not only provide visa application services, but we also provide accurate consultancy as well as the latest news relating to Australia.

We’ll plan out a whole process of your entire settlement route including what major you should pursue, what state should you stay. Therefore, after graduation, you can continue to stay and work with a Graduate visa (subclass 485). When you’ve become more experienced, we’ll assist you to apply for Skilled visas.

Having fun in Melbourne has never been easier

Melbourne – the capital city of Victoria – have something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a nice restaurant to wine and dine, glamourous shopping or joining a sporting event, Melbourne can offer those precious experiences to you. That’s why Melbourne is the ideal destination for about 2.5 million international tourists each year.

Entertainment

Melbourne city is famously known for its buzz at night. The entire place completely comes alive when nightfall with lively bars, pubs and nightclubs. Tourists and locals can easily spot a small pub hidden across the regions.

These places often host live band concerts or DJs music parties. Alcoholic drinks are legally served here in Melbourne as long as you can provide evidence of identification to prove that you are 18 years old or over.

If you are planning for something a bit more romantic and low-key then a movie night would be an excellent choice. Cinemas located across Melbourne city with prices range from 10-30 AUD.

Restaurants

Thanks to the multicultural community, anyone who comes to Melbourne falls in love with the city’s diverse cuisine. To say Melbourne is a food paradise would be an understatement as there are cafés, dinners, restaurants at every corner of the street. The options are endless no matter what dining experience you’re looking for.

You can research more on restaurants in Melbourne city on:

• Broadsheet.com.au
• Goodfood.com.au

Landmarks

Ready to be amazed by the stunning attractions and landmarks here in Melbourne city. Take a stroll through the city and visit some of the most famous destinations in the Greater Melbourne area.

• The Federation Square
• The Royal Botanic Gardens
• Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Queen Victoria Market
• The National parks and zoos
• Other Melbourne’s skyscrapers and laneways

Arts and cultures

If you’re passionate about arts and cultures, Melbourne city is the perfect fit for you. Major cultural events and festivals take place throughout the year.

Make sure to stop by any Melbourne theaters, museums and galleries to take a closer look at the depth of this amazing city.

Sports

Sports have become a big part in Australian lifestyle, especially in Melbourne. Here are some major sporting events happening during the year:

Shopping

No matter how big or how small your budget is, there’s always something for you to purchase in Melbourne. Whether it’s a luxury item or everyday necessities – you name it, Melbourne has it.

You can wander around the streets in the city centers or suburbs for shops, boutiques, shopping centers, etc. Some of the best shopping places in Melbourne city include:

• Melbourne Central
• Chadstone
• Emporium
• Chapel Street
• Bridge Road
• The District Docklands
• Westfield
• Bourke Street Mall

Frequently asked questions about Melbourne

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If you’re intended to visit or move to Melbourne in the future, contact VEM now for details about all Australia visa application procedures.

We have two offices in both Australia and Vietnam. That’s why you’ll receive the support from us despite the geographic distance.

Besides, Mr Phong Cao (the CEO of VEM) is a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648) and he is licensed by the Australian Government (MARN: 1577877). Thus, he is responsible for the advice, assistance and information provided for you. Here in VEM, we can assure you that your application will be undertaken under the law.