Parramatta Sydney or Dandenong Melbourne?

Question

Were moving to Australia in July and are still trying to choose which area to move to as my husband has family in both Dandenong Melbourne and Parramatta Sydney!

Which place is better for jobs, rental houses, public transport, safety, higher pay, higher living costs, proximity to CBD, schools etc...

Any answers will be greatly appreciated! We dont know where to move yet but we have done more research in the Parramatta area than we have for Dandenong.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I can't tell you anything about Dandenong but can help with Parramatta.

Parramatta has a train line that goes direct to the city and it takes about 40 minutes.  It is always crowded during peak hours and you'll be lucky to get a seat.

There are heaps of jobs in Sydney and heaps of jobs in Parramatta.  Parramatta is quite a big "city" now.  As for the pay, you'll probably do better in the city but it all depends on what you do and what you can achieve - just the usual with anywhere I guess.

I don't know too much about the schools around Parramatta but I guess it worries me.  We are thinking of leaving Sydney altogether and that is one of the reasons - to find a better area to raise children.

The rental market is crazy at the moment.  People are fighting over the good places and they get snapped up very quickly.

Maybe, if you could afford it, look at the Ryde area, West Ryde or Rhodes.

Anyway...good luck with it all.

Answer 2

Sydney

- highest living costs in Australia (food etc)

- For similiar type of jobs, slightly higher paid in general e.g. $1000-5000 higher depending on the type of job. (NOTE higher salary is due to much higher living expenses in Syd in comparason to Melbourne and some jobs actually paid much higher in Melbourne - you have to check this out on  popular online salary suvey sites.). You'd prob be better off financially if you stick with Melbourne if you can get a good job here.  

Melbourne - second highest living costs in Australia. Much safer city, and therefore, better to raise children. It's a more blended city (i.e. different cultures really "mixes" together).

We have good high schools/top universities such as Melbourne and Monash Univerisity.

Rental prices vary in both cities and both pretty expensive. Price range bettween 200 to a couple of thousands depending on where and the "type" of place you are looking for. And your luck.

I'm 99% pretty sure that Parramatta is closer to Sydney CBD than Dandenong to Melbourne CBD. Public transport - I haven't really used Sydney's but since both are big cities, I wouldn't think there'd be a big difference. I know there's train line that goes from the city to Dandenong and I'd suprised if there isn't one that goes from Syd CBD to Parramatta.

Average annual train ticket price for an adult = $1400 to $1800 (you will have to check this out as I'm not entirely sure).

Hope this helps and good luck!