Adelaide or Melbourne? Please help us choose.

Chandragupt on 10/09/2018 - 18:07
Last edited 10/09/2018 - 18:42 by 1 other user

We are a couple and in our late 20s. I used to live in Melbourne while studying but then moved to Adelaide(for residency) and in the beginning, I hated it. But I have to admit, a year down and we are in love. Adelaide is really good to live and easy to commute. It's limited but certainly good.

The issue is that now we are thinking about buying a home and the pricing seems almost the same 35K away from the city in Melbourne(Western suburbs like Point Cook etc) and 8K away from the city in Adelaide.

Could OZ Bargain help us to logically see the difference?

Thank you so much!

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  jason101 on 13/09/2018 - 19:07

  +2

  I grew up in Adelaide and pretty much hated it until I was around 30. I then found myself in a position which requires me to travel interstate each month, every month. After 300 or so interstate trips I realised Adelaide was the best place (in my opinion) to live, if:

  You have stable fulfilling employment or can obtain this (it is hard for some to achieve this in SA given the limited employment opportunities in many industries).

  You reside in a comfortable suburb (I live around 2km south/east of the city, for my needs this is the ideal location)

  You have or wish to have children

  If you ticked yes the 3 above points, Adelaide is the place for you!

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  PAPower on 13/09/2018 - 21:50

  Isn't Point Cook one of the most educated suburbs in VIC?
  If so you should be able to figure out yourself.

  1 good thing is that Adelaide has only 2 footy teams so it's easier to pick one.
  Another good thing Adelaide got Mad March and five months of blueys harvesting a year.

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  folktaliesin on 13/09/2018 - 22:11

  +1

  If it helps at all, my partner and I recently went through a similar decision making process. Except for us it was Canberra vs Melbourne, with similar pro points for Canberra as they are for Adelaide.

  We chose Canberra. We both have well paying jobs and friends here. We weren't willing to uproot that for a chance at what Melbourne could offer. Granted, Melbourne is a beautiful city. But with my new house, I can cycle home within 20 minutes, the traffic is non-existent, and we have nature on our doorstep. I decided I valued all of that over the sexier life Melbourne could offer.

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  TomGum on 13/09/2018 - 22:16

  +1

  Adelaide for sure.
  Adelaide has jobs, we just have to look a little harder as majory of the head offices are in Syd/Melb, which is expected given their population.
  Adelaide shops are open 7am to 9pm everywhere on weeksays some until midnight, and 5pm on sundays…. but what percentage of people like to shop after 5pm on a sundays?
  Adelaide has a great night life… the famous hindly street!!
  Adelaide has some of the worlds greatest beaches all within 15min drive.
  You can actualy buy a house for under 500k with a back yard and be close to everything!!
  We have great private schools and some great selective public schools. You can be happy that your kids will be safe and close to you when you work or are at home. You get a phone call from school and need to be there imidiately you can be sure you dont have to make an hour trip to get to your kids school.
  We have large number of resturants vs our population and i doubt you will have time to visit them all.

  If you want a life how Australia was originally intended for…. house of your own with a back yard, walks to parks, short drive beaches, spend TIME with family and friends, grow with your family than Adelaide is your best choice.

  Simply put, you can have a melb life style here in adelaide without living in melb. For heck it would be quicker to fly there for the weekend than to travel 35k by car!!!!

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  Indomietable on 14/09/2018 - 04:40

  Eastern part of Melbourne (15 - 25km from CBD)

  Source: I have lived/own house in Adelaide(West/North) , and Melbourne (West/North/East) for more than 2 years.

  There are reasons property price in Melbourne eastern suburbs are higher. Infrastructures in Easter suburbs are 50 to 200 years ahead and always getting preferential development.

  Melbourne Western suburbs was neglected by the government then milked by property developers. Huge population growth with very slow infrastructure improvement. Public transport are limited, child care, school, university are scarce. A car is a necessity to live there resulting awful traffic. With so many open land yet to be released and no major infrastructure and public transport upgrade in sight things will get worse.

  Using Point Cook as reference for comparison between Melbourne and Adelaide doesn't do Melbourne justice.

  Melbourne eastern suburbs (within 25km) is where you want to be. In most suburbs, you can get access to childcare, school, shops, parks or public transport within walking distance. There are a lot more businesses in the area so majority of the residents does not work in the city. Very good public transport - best train lines, well connected with busses and tram, lots of big roads and freeway. The land supply is limited by mountains which gives better probability of growth.

  Adelaide like you said is easy and good, but I don't think it's as good as Melbourne eastern suburbs especially if you thinking of growing family. There is a lot more future potential in Melbourne than Adelaide.

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    xyron on 17/09/2018 - 11:34

    I would sooner live in the North/North West than in the south-eastern morasse.

    Significantly closer to the airport, can actually get around without being forced to use toll roads, and more than enough infrastructure for me (I'm in Maribyrnong and have access to the multiple GP clinics, Highpoint, 3 separate tram routes, 2 bus routes all within 200m walking distance, and Western Hospital is just down Rosamond Road - and I paid roughly half for a townhouse here than I would have been required to pay 9km north, east or south east of the CBD).

    Only exception might be education but if you aren't scared of your children being in a mixed-race classroom, then there are still plenty of options.

    It is extremely difficult if not impossible for any young first home buyers to buy in the east/south east anymore (save for Dandenong and beyond).

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      Indomietable on 17/09/2018 - 23:44

      To be fair , Maribyrnong is one of the nicest area in the North West. I used to live just of Williamson Rd so I know the area quite well.

      Significantly closer to the airport

      This could be a plus and minus, but I don't remember being disturbed by any plane noise while living there.

      Education, lack of train network and being closer to work are 3 key area that make me move.

      It is extremely difficult if not impossible for any young first home buyers to buy in the east/south east anymore (save for Dandenong and beyond).

      Agreed , these areas are not first home buyers area. I probably will buy in Nunawading and beyond. You get the same price with Maribyrnong but I think it has better growth potential because limited supply of land. There lots of empty land still available North of sunshine

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  R4 on 14/09/2018 - 12:29

  +1

  Adelaide has traditionally been socialist and anti-business so this effects employment opportunities - although government pork-barrelling should change this (at the expense of the taxpayer as usual)

  Melbourne is also pretty socialist but is not anti-business (although this may change if the CFMEU (aka the Andrews government) win another term) - so employment opportunites are better

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