It’s no longer a secret that Australia is a favourite destination amongst tourists and immigrants. Why not? The country boasts of postcard-worthy beaches and historical landmarks, needless to mention its diverse population that makes it more attractive to many.
But Australia is also one of the biggest countries in the world. Sixth, actually. So where do you start exploring? Why not consider Melbourne, the world’s most livable city?
Indeed, the capital city of Victoria is deemed the most livable in the world and it has been awarded this lofty recognition since 2011.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the city scored 97.5 out of 100 in their livability index. The second placer, Vienna, which scored 97.4, has become popular to many because it has made countless of appearances in films and literature. And if Melbourne is a little notch higher than the very beautiful and livable Vienna, then that means something.
What does it mean to be ‘liveable,’ really?
According to the EIU, a city has to have an outstanding health care system, a quality education for every citizen, a sustainable infrastructure, a sense of culture, and must strictly adhere to cleanliness.
And Melbourne excels in all of these categories.
Australia’s healthcare, for instance, is one of the best. It is actually four times cheaper to get a PET Scan in Melbourne that in the US. And most of the medical expenses of any tax-paying individual here are paid for by the government. On top of that is a robust health insurance covering basic medical needs such as dental, optical, surgical, and so on.
In terms of infrastructure, the country has a group of industry professionals in the guise of The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia. This limited-by-guarantee (LBG) organisation ensures that all structural elements—buildings, roads, bridges, parks—do not weaken the social, economic and ecological processes in all Australian cities.
Education in the city is also outstanding, as even the non-prestigious educational institutions here shine and continue to be on par with the international educational standards. The city itself has a unique teaching model similar to that of Singapore and Canada, two countries with high regard for education.
By 2020, the government of Melbourne aims to become the world’s greenest city. This means it wants to inject more improvements to its already exceptional eco-friendly transport systems, adherence to waste management, and citywide cleanliness programmes.
No place for boredom
Melbourne is the perfect city for students, and also for the young at heart. It is home to over 17 bookstores, several museums, and universities hosting a variety of cultural shows all-year-round. It doesn’t fall short of public festivals, as almost every month a street parade or an indoor show is held across the city. The most popular are the Melbourne International Film Festival during August, the Fringe Festival and AFL Grand Final in September, The Melbourne Cup in November, and the Christmas Festival every December.
Museums, galleries, theatres, and movie houses also love to put a premium on students by giving the student discounts.
And as for the workers? Well, entrepreneurs here hate boring offices. In fact, for them, health and lifestyle, sports, and fun must always be integrated into the concept of work so that things don’t get tiresome.
And if one is still bored at the mention of these endless perks, you can always go for a walk to some of Melbourne’s hidden streets. Surely, anyone who wagers a penny for every restaurant-quality food establishment and gorgeous garden found would end up rich in no time—as Melbourne has many!
Talk with one of our registered migration consultants if you have any questions or concerns about migrating to Melbourne, Australia.
