Melbourne City Australia: One Of The Most Liveable Cities
Melbourne city Australia 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 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 5.39 millions people (updated 2025).
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.
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.
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 a suitable community for you here.
Melbourne’s traffic
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
The people in Melbourne city are no strangers to the public transport system here since they use it literally daily to get to work and get around.
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.
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 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 use an App
The government
To ensure all aspects of society run smoothly, Melbourne City is governed by three levels of government, including:
Local government: with 79 councils spread across the city to govern any local government services.
State government: governs all details related to society at the state level.
Federal government: responsible for regulating all of Australia’s national and international interests.
Why Melbourne City the best place to live
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2025 global ranking, Melbourne ranks 4th in the top 10 most livable cities in the world, achieving high scores in healthcare, education and infrastructure.
Affordable cost of living
Melbourne city came in 73rd place among cities in the world in Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living Survey. This list was about the 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 2025 Cost of Living Survey, the Melbourne healthcare system has proven to be outstanding. This is because the life expectancy of Australian citizens has been prolonged throughout the years.
There are many healthcare services for you to choose from, including private and public hospitals, community health services, and dental services, etc.
Accommodation variety
Depending on your purposes, taste, and budget, there’s always a suitable accommodation for you to choose during your stay in Melbourne city. The choice is yours to make.
Temporary accommodation
Short-stay apartments: Prices range from 150 – 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 rooms are not usually available.
Hotels and motels: Prices vary widely; available across Melbourne.
Renting a house or apartment
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
The price for rental properties is varied depending on the location, size and how long you will be staying.
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 Australian migration process.
The table below compares selected Melbourne suburbs by distance from the CBD and median property prices 2025-26 to help you make an informed decision.
Melbourne City is home to one of the top schools not only in Australia but also worldwide. The educational system includes different types of schools 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 fees for 3 types of schools in Melbourne:
English school
Based at Scotch College, 1 Morrison Street, Hawthorn, VIC 3122
Fee type
Kindergarten
Primary
Secondary
Annual tuition
26,610 AUD
28,506 AUD
33,276 AUD
Entrance fee
1600 AUD
International school
Based on St Leonard’s College, 163 South Road, Brighton East, VIC 3187
Fee type
Kindergarten
Primary
Secondary
Annual tuition
17,820 AUD
25,276 AUD
29,720 AUD
Entrance fee
Not available
Private local school
Based on Wesley College, 577 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 300
Victoria only takes up 3% of Australia’s land mass, but it’s responsible for almost 25% of Australia’s economy. Australia is one of the safest and most stable countries to start your business. Thus, choosing to live and work in Melbourne would be a wise choice if you’d like to grow your business and investments.
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.
Also, 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. 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 criteria in order to become a resident of that state.
That’s why VEM is here to help you with that. 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 which major you should pursue, and which state you should 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 in applying forSkilled visas.
Melbourne activities
Melbourne – the capital city of Victoria – has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a nice restaurant to wine and dine, glamorous 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 at nightfall with lively bars, pubs, and nightclubs. Tourists and locals can easily spot a small pub hidden across the region.
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 ranging from 10 to 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, diners, and restaurants on 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:
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 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 of the Australian lifestyle, especially in Melbourne. Here are some major sporting events happening during the year:
Types of sports
Events
Time
Tennis
The Australian Open
January
Motor sport
The Australian Formula One Grand Prix
March
Football
Australian Rules Football
March to September
Horse racing
Spring Racing Carnival
October/November
Cricket
Boxing Day test match
December
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
If you’re planning to visit or move to Melbourne in the future, contact VEM now for details about all Australian visa application procedures.
In addition, Mr. Peter Cao, CEO of VEM, is a registered member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648) and a migration agent licensed by the Australian Government (MARN: 1577877). He is directly responsible for all migration advice, assistance, and information provided to you.
By: Peter Phong D Cao – Registered migration agent
There are a number of expat-friendly areas in Melbourne. Some favoured areas are right in the city centre and are popular with students or young professionals. More family-oriented expats may prefer living further out in the suburbs or on the coast.
Most expats moving to Australia assume that the country’s Westernised culture will make for an easy adjustment. While this is true to a certain extent, many of these same expats are surprised to find themselves feeling a bit lost at sea in their new surroundings.
Despite some similarities to other Western countries like Britain and the USA, expats may still experience a profound sense of loneliness compounded by the unfamiliar day-to-day idiosyncrasies of Australian life.
Make sure you watch the weather forecast beforehand. Take an umbrella with you or wear layers of clothes which can be taken off when needed just in case.
Even though the city is pretty busy and safe during night time, there’s still some places you shouldn’t go alone. Places like Bourke Street, Flinders Street Station, and Gray Street all have a reputation for having people of all sorts, from homeless people to drug dealers and prostitutes.
Mr. Phong Cao is a licensed migration agent by MARA (MARN: 1577877). He is also a member of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA: 12648), one of the most reputable organizations in the field of immigration in Australia. In addition, Mr. Phong Cao holds a QEAC certification in study abroad consulting (QEAC: K580) and Australian real estate investment (RA85931). With over 12 years of experience in Australian immigration, he provides comprehensive solutions for studying and settling in Australia.
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