Today’s post is a Guest Post from a reader, which I thought would be worth sharing.
When I was weighing up whether to study in Melbourne or Sydney, I assumed the choice would be all about rankings, glossy brochures, and which city looked better on Instagram. Both are global cities. Both have beaches (yes, Melbourne technically does, but you’ll hear the debate about St Kilda beach until the end of time). Both have big universities with sprawling campuses.
What I didn’t realise is that your uni city isn’t just where you go to class. It becomes your environment, your community, your backdrop for some of the most formative years of your life. The little details, rent prices, weather, the way people talk to each other on public transport matter more than you think. They shape how you feel, who you meet, and even how you grow.
I’ve studied in Melbourne, but I’ve spent a fair amount of time with friends in Sydney, swapping stories and living in each other’s worlds for short bursts. Comparing the two has been eye-opening, and what I’ve learned is that the differences aren’t just surface-level.
So, here it is. No sugar-coating, no PR spin. The costs, the culture, the good, the bad, and the in-between. This is what no one tells you about Melbourne vs Sydney uni life.
The Brutal Reality of Costs
Sydney is expensive. Painfully so. It’s the kind of expensive where you’ll scroll through rental listings and wonder if a windowless cupboard counts as a “studio apartment.” If you want to live anywhere remotely close to the city or eastern suburbs, be prepared to pour most of your paycheck into rent.
I stayed with a mate in Sydney who was paying nearly $400 a week for her half of a shoebox apartment in Glebe. My rent in Melbourne? Half that, with an actual living room and a kitchen where you could open the fridge without smacking into the wall.
Melbourne is hardly cheap, but it’s manageable. You can live in a share house within tram distance of the city without needing three side hustles. Groceries are about the same, but eating out feels less punishing. There are hidden gems – dumpling spots in Chinatown, $12 laksa in the CBD, Vietnamese rolls in Footscray, where you can get full without your bank account crying.
Sydney does offer higher casual wages, especially in hospitality, and there’s more demand for casual staff. My Sydney friends working in cafes or retail definitely earn more per hour than I did in Melbourne. But the problem is, it all gets eaten up by rent anyway. You might make more, but you’ll also spend more just to exist.
Culture: The Invisible Divide
It’s hard to describe, but the cultural “feel” of the two cities is completely different. And this is where your uni experience shifts without you even noticing.
Melbourne is slower, but in the best way. It’s a city that rewards wandering. You’ll stumble into laneway cafes, watch a busker outside Flinders Street Station who’s actually pretty good, or end up at a pop-up art show because your mate dragged you along. Students spend hours sprawled on the South Lawn at Melbourne Uni, sipping coffee and arguing about politics like they’re auditioning for Q&A.
Sydney has this energy that feels almost electric. Everyone’s moving with purpose, even if they’re just heading to Woolies. The city runs on ambition. Students there are sharper, faster, and sometimes more competitive. It’s infectious; if you thrive on that hustle, you’ll find yourself running at a higher gear. But it can also be exhausting. There’s less space to just sit and breathe without feeling like you’re “falling behind.”
Melbourne students often joke that Sydney is “all show,” while Sydney students counter that Melbourne is “too smug.” There’s some truth to both. Sydney dazzles you with the harbour, the skyline, and the beaches. Melbourne wins you over slowly, with its art, food, and culture that creeps under your skin until you can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Uni Life: Two Different Worlds
Sydney’s unis feel bigger, flashier, and more hierarchical. Walk onto USyd’s sandstone campus and it feels like stepping into a movie set. It’s beautiful, but also intimidating. Societies are active and networking is everywhere. People dress sharper. There’s a quiet but noticeable divide between students who came from private schools and those who didn’t.
UNSW feels a little more “corporate” — future lawyers, engineers, consultants, all moving quickly toward their careers. It’s exciting, but it can feel transactional. My Sydney mates often mention the pressure: everyone’s already talking about grad roles in second year.
Melbourne unis, on the other hand, feel more laid back. Melbourne Uni still has its prestige, but the vibe is less cutthroat. Students sit on the grass with cheap coffee, debating ideas more than careers. RMIT has a practical, creative energy — you’ll see design students sketching on laptops next to engineering students with toolkits. Monash has its own insulated world out in Clayton, where you basically live on campus and the community becomes tight-knit.
The downside in Melbourne? Cliques form fast. Arts kids with arts kids, engineers with engineers. If you don’t make an effort to branch out, you might stay in your bubble.
The Vibe of Each City
Sydney wins hands down on natural beauty. Waking up near Coogee Beach or catching a ferry across the harbour before class feels like a movie scene. If you need water, sand, and sun to keep you sane, Sydney is unbeatable.
Melbourne, though, is built for students. It’s cheaper to get around, public transport actually works once you figure out Myki, and the city is crammed with cafes and libraries where you can study for hours without being told to move along. The weather is… chaotic, sure. Four seasons in one day isn’t a myth. But the cultural life makes up for it: free galleries, night markets, live music, and community events.
Sydney’s vibe can feel like “make it or break it.” Melbourne’s vibe feels like “find your people and grow with them.”
The Emotional Side
This is the part no one talks about when you’re 18 and just looking at glossy uni rankings. Your uni city doesn’t just shape your resume, it shapes your identity.
My Sydney friends are resilient. They’re ambitious, sharper, and quicker to grab opportunities. But they also talk about loneliness. Sydney is beautiful, but it can be isolating. Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s chasing something. If you fall behind, it feels like no one’s waiting for you.
Melbourne has given me space to breathe. It’s less about competition and more about connection. I’ve built friendships here that feel more like family. There are still moments where I wonder if I’ve missed out by not being in Sydney’s “big pond,” but I also know I’ve grown in ways I might not have if I were always running.
So, Which is Better?
The truth? Neither. It depends on who you are.
If you thrive in high energy, love beaches, and want to be surrounded by driven people who’ll push you, Sydney will shape you in ways Melbourne can’t. If you want community, culture, and the freedom to figure yourself out without constant pressure, Melbourne will feel like home.
Both cities will challenge you, both will change you. But the way they do it is different.
For me, Melbourne was the right choice. It taught me balance. It let me grow at my own pace. It gave me people who genuinely cared, not just contacts for LinkedIn. Still, when I sit by Sydney Harbour on a sunny day, I get it. I see the magic.
At the end of the day, it’s not about which city ranks higher or has prettier photos. It’s about whether you find your rhythm, your community, and a version of yourself you can be proud of. That’s what no one tells you when you’re making the decision. And maybe that’s something you only learn once you’ve lived it.
Inside The University of Melbourne 