Melbourne vs New York

Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia after Sydney. It is the capital of the state of Victoria. On the other hand, New York City is located in the state of New York and has the largest population in the USA. Both cities have lots of attractions and interesting content.

So, Melbourne vs New York - which one takes the win? If you’ve ever been wondering what are these cities like, we will help you compare them in all relevant areas and decide which one is better.

In our in-depth guide, you will find out the most important differences between these two cities, such as their cost of living, employment opportunities, average salary, weather conditions, entertainment, and much more. Let’s begin!

Melbourne vs New York Size: What Is the Difference?

Melbourne is a city with a total size of ​​9,992 square kilometers and currently has a population of 5.3 million. Being a city that offers great employment opportunities, many Australians move here. For these reasons, it recorded an increase in the population with a growth rate of 1,67% to 6.59%. But, the current population density is only 453 people per square kilometer.

When compared to New York, which has a population density of 10,194/ km2, Melbourne's is extremely low.

Still, New York is a city with a smaller area (783.8 km²) and a larger number of inhabitants of about 8.5 million.

Cost of Living: NYC vs Melbourne

Melbourne is a cheaper city to live in than New York City, by as much as 45%. Below, you will find a more detailed living cost comparison

Melbourne

The monthly cost of living in this city per capita is $1,968, while for the whole family, it is $4,731.To rent a one-bed apartment in the city center costs $1,609, and to rent in the suburbs costs $1,368. For the purchase of the apartment, the buyer needs to pay $9,346 (per square meter).

Monthly utility bills (electricity, water, and heating ) are on average $212, and for unlimited data they are $75.51. Monthly transport expenses are $275.

New York

In this city, the monthly living cost is $3,563 for an individual and $7,275 for a family. Apartments with a one-bedroom cost $20,815/m². A similar flat in the downtown costs $4,462 to rent and $3,019 in suburbs

The average monthly costs for heat, water, and electricity are $226, while costs for internet are $87.99. Monthly transportation costs come to $378.

Public Transportation Compared

Public transport in Melbourne is beneficial for those living in the suburbs, particularly trams or trolleybuses. In central Melbourne (known as the CBD) the trams are free, meaning visitors can just get in and ride in the area without paying.

There are also trains in this city, but much less often than in New York, and sometimes late, while there are none at night. Buses are not the best in both cities and are not recommended.

In general public transportation in New York. is better. The subway here is well-developed, runs frequently, and is quite fast. Additionally, the city has a wide variety of transportation options, including buses, commuter trains, and even ferries.

Is Melbourne or New York Safer?

Melbourne is an extremely safe city to live in and visit. It has the lowest crime rate in the country. Even for women, it is still a fairly secure place to walk around. The only bad thing that can happen is that the bars are full of drunk guests, which sometimes ends in a fight. Therefore, such places should be avoided at night, as well as dark and deserted streets. Regarding pickpockets, the Flinders Street station is the riskiest area in the city. There is practically no gun crime in Melbourne.

As a city with a larger population, New York has more crime, however, the rate is similar to that of all major metropolis. Petty crimes such as theft and pickpocketing most often affect tourists. There are also violent crimes such as murders, but they happen in bad neighborhoods and have decreased in the last year. Moreover, the number of burglaries increased by almost 40 percent.

Generally, when it comes to New York's safety, it is considered a medium dangerous city with certain high-risk places that should be avoided.

New York City vs Melbourne: Which City Offers Better Education?

Melbourne has eight universities. According to the QS Best Student Cities 2018 rankings, Melbourne is third. Monash University and the University of Melbourne are the best Australian universities.

Melbourne's campuses offer exceptional support services for international students in areas like housing, employment, legal issues, and meeting new people

Studying in New York may provide an excellent education and understanding of cultural variety. The expensive cost of living in New York is one of its drawbacks for students.

New York is home to 18 universities. The City University of New York (CUNY) is the largest urban public university system in the nation, with 25 colleges located throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The State University of New York (SUNY) system offers more than 60 undergraduate, technical, and community institutions in addition to a wide range of online programs. New York University is one of the leading research universities.

Average Salary and Employment Opportunities: Who Wins?

There are many employment opportunities in New York City. People very often work multiple jobs because they need a lot of money to survive due to high costs. By percentage, the unemployment rate is low at 4.3%, and the average monthly salary is $6,058.32.

The unemployment rate in Melbourne is slightly higher than in New York City and is 6.3%. However, year after year employment in this Australian city is getting better. The average monthly salary is $3,559.42.

Melbourne ranks third in the list of the best cities in the world to live in, while New York is 13th.

Melbourne vs New York Weather: Which City Has a More Enjoyable Climate?

Due to its location in the southern hemisphere of the planet, Melbourne is the city where June and July are the coolest months. Although not at all cold by global standards. Winters are not too long. The wettest month is October. Around 649 mm of rain falls year-round. Hot summer temperatures reach the upper 30°C.

New York's weather forecast is the opposite of Melbourne's. This means that July is the warmest month here, with an average temperature of 25° c to 30°C..

The coldest month in New York is January, with an average temperature of 5 °C, making winters there cooler than in Melbourne. However, New York has less annual rainfall, about 630 mm per year.

Entertainment and Nightlife: Where Will You Have More Fun?

Of all the cities in the world, Melbourne boasts the largest concentration of coffee shops, bars, and pubs. Produce and food generally have exceedingly high standards. Groceries costs are often a little cheaper in New York, but the quality is significantly lower. In this sense, Melbourne has much better standards.

New York City offers truly fantastic nightlife. The panoramic bars, often known as "rooftops," are a must-see part of the nightlife. They may be found throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Williamsburg. These bars offer excellent cocktails and have breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. And this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to New York's hidden gems there is so much to explore about this city, that it’s hard for any other place to compete with it.

The restaurants offer a variety of cuisine to satisfy the tastes of tourists from different parts of the world and are also great for those who like to experiment with new tastes.

In New York City, there are also a large number of live music clubs where visitors can listen to and enjoy all kinds of music: jazz, blues, hip-hop, soul, etc.

Which City Has More Attractions?

Melbourne has a rich culture and numerous landmarks, and the most attractive for tourists are the Royal Botanic Gardens, the National Gallery of Victoria, Federation Square, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, National Sports Museum. Furthermore, this city features a large number of beautiful Victorian homes, several public parks, a lot of museums, and great areas for taking a leisurely stroll.

In comparison to Melbourne, New York has more attractions like museums, historical landmarks, and entertainment facilities. Many tourists just travel here to view the sights, such as the Statue of Liberty, Time Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and historic districts. Some people come expressly to take in the Broadway performances, while others come especially to shop and eat.

US Entry Requirements: Visa vs ESTA

Australians visiting New York will need to get some form of travel approval to enter the US. Depending on several factors like the purpose and the length of their stay, they have two options: ESTA visa USA for Australian citizens or a US visa. There are a few benefits to the ESTA - Electronic System for Travel Authorization: it can be obtained in a matter of hours, it is more affordable than the traditional forms of visa, and the entire process is carried out online.

However, ESTA can only be used for trips of up to 90 days and for business, tourism, or medical purpose. If you intend to stay longer than that, or your purpose of travel to the US is different, you may need to apply for one of the US visas. This is a longer, more complex, and more expensive process that requires an interview at the US Embassy.

New York City vs Melbourne: The Bottom Line

As we have seen, there are advantages and disadvantages to both cities. Melbourne is quite a distant city, so the trip is pretty long if you want to go to Europe or America, for example. New York City has pleasant weather conditions and better public transport.

Melbourne has a better quality of life due to the low cost of living and more affordable housing, but New York City is a more attractive city in many aspects. Finally, after we’ve covered all the important areas of these two cities, it's up to you to decide which one is better depending on your needs.