Where to Live in Sydney
Sydney is a vibrant, active city which also has many amazing suburbs which can make choosing where to live a difficult task, which is, happily, a positive problem. Considering transport and proximity to your workplace are key factors in narrowing down your search, as are the available facilities and amenities.
The North Shore, Eastern Suburbs and the city itself are the most popular places for expats working in the CBD to relocate. These are central hubs that are well serviced by transport, are very safe and have an abundance of choice of schooling, shopping, medical centres and sports facilities.
The city has many trendy suburbs that hug the commercial area and suit those people used to city living. Popular suburbs are Glebe, Ultimo, Broadway, Darling Harbour and Darlinghurst.
However, if your work was located in Parramatta or Chatswood, the other major business areas, then living in proximity to these areas will be more suburban in nature, although well serviced again with transport and shopping.
There is also a rather large commercial area located in North Ryde which is on the North Shore but set further towards the West than the main part of the North Shore. It is growing rapidly and already houses most pharmaceuticals and many IT companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, Sun Microsystems. Other big names in the area are Canon, Sony, Hyundai Motors and several telecommunications companies. Most expats working in this area will commute from the North Shore, but it is possible to live in the city CBD if working in North Ryde.
If you don’t mind some commute and prefer to take advantage of a beach lifestyle then the Northern Beaches are worth considering. The area is less densely populated than the North Shore or Eastern Suburbs, which gives it a laid-back and quiet atmosphere.
Stretching along the Parramatta River are suburbs that are becoming increasingly popular. Large, new developments of apartments and shopping complexes are appearing in Rhodes, the most famous of these Parramatta suburbs, which is where the Sydney Olympic site is located. Homebush, then Canada Bay, Birkenhead Point and Balmain are all very popular riverside suburbs and are also experiencing commercial growth to accommodate an influx of residents.
Finally for a more alternative lifestyle, the Inner West which is located outside the city en route to the more affordable Western Suburbs has a distinct flavor of its own and is home to many students, artists and young families.
