Moving to Melbourne? A guide to finding the right area to live.

So you’re thinking about moving to Melbourne. Well let us welcome you to one of the greatest cities in the world. The home of AFL, laneways, great coffee, brunch culture, amazing concerts and exhibitions.

On behalf of the 4.8 million other Melbournites, we’d like to extend a warm welcome.

In a recent report by Domain.com.au, the median weekly rent across Melbourne is $410pw for an apartment and $440pw for a house. However, if you hope to live closer to the city then prices can be significantly higher.

The most expensive suburbs to rent in Melbourne are all either close to the city or by the bay. Suburbs like Brighton, Albert Park, South Yarra, Docklands, Fitzroy and Toorak.

When looking for a place to rent, it’s best to look at www.realestate.com.au or www.domain.com.au which are the most searched property websites in Australia. There are also some Facebook groups where you can find rooms to rent.

You will need to inspect the property prior to applying for it – if you can’t make it there yourself then using a service like ours, Rental Inspect (www.rentalinspect.com.au) will allow you to have one of our team inspect the property on your behalf, send your through a detailed report with photos and videos and then you can apply for the property without even landing in Australia yet.

If you’re looking for buy a home in Melbourne, well then it’s important to pick the right area. With an average median price of 479,306 for apartments and $833,321 for houses, it’s one of the more expensive cities to buy in Australia.

So where in Melbourne should you live?

Well each area has it’s own feel and vibe – generally the more expensive a suburb is, the more it has to offer in terms of lifestyle, safety and convenience. But before you decide on a suburb, It’s important to make a list of what you want and speak to some Melbournians about where they recommend.

Here’s a rough little break down of the regions of Melbourne.

Northern suburbs

If you’re passionate about coffee, art, good food and pub meals, the northern suburbs are for you. Places like Carlton, Brunswick, Northcote, Collingwood, North Melbourne and Fitzroy have plenty to offer for the inner urbanite, including some of Melbourne’s best cafes and Italian food, unique shops and beautiful green spaces. These inner suburbs often come with hefty rental prices (although you can get a good deal in a share house), but the cool vibes continue further north to more affordable suburbs like Coburg, Preston and Thornbury.

Western suburbs

The inner west has exploded in popularity in the last decade, as it offers the convenience of being close to the city at a much lower price tag than the inner north or east. Suburbs like Footscray, Seddon and Yarraville have an increasing number of good pubs, restaurants and cafes, and the Maribyrnong River offers a peaceful urban retreat for walkers, cyclists, fishing enthusiasts and rowers. The inner west is also close to some nice suburban beaches at Williamstown and Altona.

Eastern suburbs

Things get a little more expensive east of the city, but if you’re after the convenience of living close to the city, great transport links, and plenty of nightlife, it’s tough to beat places like Richmond, South Yarra and Prahran. For something a little quieter (and cheaper) try Abbotsford, Alphington or Fairfield. Things get very expensive once you reach the exclusive suburbs of Toorak, Malvern, Hawthorn and Kew.

Bayside suburbs

If you want to live by the beach, the bayside suburbs are for you. Stretching from Port Melbourne all the way down to Frankston, you’ll find a beachside lifestyle with the convenience of suburban living. These suburbs are also some of Melbourne’s priciest, with Middle Park, Brighton, Brighton East and Hampton all sitting in the list of the city’s most expensive areas. To have the beachside lifestyle for less, look for one of the bayside suburbs with more apartments than mansions, like St Kilda or Elwood. Both have great beaches, good food and a packed calendar of events and festivities, all within striking distance of the city.