Is Sydney Losing its Charm as National Livability Ranking Plunged?
The world’s ranking for the most livable city 2021 is OUT: Sydney’s ranking has plunged. With Sydney being less favourable for living, young expats are now rethinking their life plans in pursuit of a better future. This article explores the world livability ranking and discovers what it means for the future of young professionals.
What cultivates an ideal future? According to the Global Livability Index, this includes qualitative and quantitative measures of stability, stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
As reported in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s survey for 2021, Sydney sank from its top 3 rankings to 11th. Its close neighbour Melbourne took a similar dive, dropping from 2nd to 8th. Granted, COVID 19 has a big if not enormous impact on livability worldwide and this has gone one way or another. For instance, Auckland New Zealand, became the new star as top 3 thanks to better management of COVID 19, residents’ daily living and activities are mildly unaffected.
Will Sydney bounce back after COVID 19? We don’t know. Though one thing is for sure, Sydney is plagued by many more problems this year. Sydney’s soaring housing prices are in the limelight. Sydney’s housing affordability is notorious and this is no surprise with regards to its alarming homeless problem. This year, Sydney has again hit national news ranking as the 3rd most unaffordable city. Confronted with such ludicrous housing prices, it is estimated that some take 30 if not 40 years just to pay back their home loan!
With all things considered, this begs the question — is Sydney losing its charm?
What does this mean for foreigners?
Sydney has long secured a stable influx of foreigners annually. Students flock to the city in a quest for top-notch university education, young graduates allured by its booming economy endeavour to get into a well-established company.
Sydney being less livable than its next-door cities, maybe losing its input of young professionals.
However, young expats and Sydneysiders who have sufficient work experience and aspire to start a family may think otherwise. Ranked within the top 10 most livable cities, neighbouring cities like Brisbane, Adelaide, or even Auckland New Zealand might just capture the eyeballs if this particular population. Similar to Sydney, these cities have their city centres, great access to beaches, many days of sunlight, a promising transport system, an education system, low crime rates, and are bustling with cultural activities. It is also less cramped and has more affordable housing.
To put the icing on the cake, remote work is ubiquitous. Our approach of working has reshaped thanks to COVID 19, no longer are workers required to be work face to face but rather online. This means we can still benefit from Sydney's superior job market without the need to reside there.
Most people like me and my partner are charmed by the Australian culture, we desire to live somewhere more economical yet still being embraced by the Aussie vibes. Stagnated by the COVID-19 hurdle in addition to its outrageous housing market, Sydney has gradually set itself apart from its counterparts. With high hopes, we are yet to see decisions made to revive the appeal of Sydney before new generations start turning away this beautiful city.
*Disclaimer: This article is based on personal opinion. Personal research is highly recommended before making any decisions.
