Sydney vs Melbourne
💰
Melbourne saves you $700/month
🌡️
Oceanic vs Temperate climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Sydney
Melbourne
Total Budget
$3,200/mo
$2,500/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$2,100/mo
$1,500/mo ✓
Coworking
$350/mo
$280/mo ✓
Meal Out
$12
$12
Coffee
$4
$4
Melbourne is $700/mo cheaper (28% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇦🇺 Sydney
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+10
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London1h
🇩🇪 Berlin2h
🇦🇺 Melbourne
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+10
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London1h
🇩🇪 Berlin2h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Sydney
ClimateOceanic
Avg Temp18°C
Rainy Days128/year
Best months: September, December, February, March
Melbourne
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp15°C
Rainy Days113/year
Best months: January, February, March, December
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
22°20°
Apr
18°15°
Jul
12°10°
Oct
18°14°
SydneyMelbourne
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇦🇺Sydney
🇦🇺Melbourne
💰
Monthly Budget
$3,200
$2,500
Winner📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
4.5/5
4.2/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.2/10
4.2/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
10/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
9/10
Winner🚶
Walkability
8/10
9/10
👥
Community
large
large
0
Sydney wins
vs
3
Melbourne wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Melbourne
$700/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Melbourne
World-famous nightlife scene
🇦🇺Sydney
Pros
- +World-class beaches including Bondi and Manly within city limits
- +Excellent healthcare system with English-speaking doctors
- +Outstanding food scene with diverse cuisines from around the world
- +Very safe city with low crime rates even at night
Cons
- −One of the most expensive cities in the world for rent and dining
- −Visa restrictions - cannot work on tourist visa and DN visa still pending
- −High costs can quickly drain savings for budget travelers
- −Far from other continents making travel expensive and time-consuming
🇦🇺Melbourne
Pros
- +World-class coffee and food scene
- +Ranked #1 city for remote work in 2025
- +Over 100 coworking spaces available
- +Excellent public transport with free tram zone
Cons
- −High cost of living compared to Asia
- −Expensive rent especially in inner suburbs
- −Unpredictable weather - four seasons in one day
- −No dedicated digital nomad visa