What makes Melbourne the most liveable city in Australia

Ranked as the third most liveable city in the world and number one in Australia by The Economist in 2023, people from all over the world come to Melbourne to live, study and enjoy the many exciting things the city has to offer.

Melbourne, located in the Australian state of Victoria, is a safe, multicultural city full of fun events and activities. This also makes it the perfect location for students. ‘Melbourne has been a delightful city to reside in and I feel fortunate to be part of one of the most liveable cities in the world,’ said Anuradha from Sri Lanka.

According to QS Best Student Cities 2024, Melbourne is ranked number one in Australia and number four in the world for international students. But what makes Melbourne such a great place for students to live and study? Deakin University students from all over the world have shared their thoughts on why they love living in Melbourne and how it has had a positive impact on their student experience.

 ‘One of the city’s great strengths lies in its extensive public transportation system’ – Nungky

The cultural diversity was something all students appreciated about Melbourne. Seeing people from different cultures and backgrounds working together and learning from each other made students feel welcomed and accepted. Anuradha said, ‘one of the things I truly love about Melbourne is its multicultural environment, where one can encounter people from all around the globe, truly representing a global community.’ Bachelor of Commerce student Estelle from Vietnam agrees, saying, ‘all the people I’ve met here, from any background, have brought to me loads of interesting points of view and life stories.’

Students also found Melbourne’s public transport network of great use while studying, allowing them to live independently and conveniently travel to campus and around the city. Nungky from Indonesia said, ‘one of the city’s great strengths lies in its extensive public transportation system, which offers convenience for getting around without relying heavily on private cars.’ Naya from Indonesia also enjoys using public transport in Melbourne saying, ‘the public transport here is dependable and reliable and fun when travelling with your friends.’

Melbourne is full of things to do and places to explore. For a lot of students, exploring Melbourne’s diverse restaurants and cafés has been a highlight. Students especially enjoyed the abundance of great coffee found all around Melbourne. Supraja from Africa shares, ‘Melbourne truly brews the best coffee, be it in a tiny family-run café or a big coffee chain.’

Melbourne is known for its sport culture; for many students this is an interesting and exciting thing to take part in. Bilal from United Arab Emirates has enjoyed watching live Australian Football League (AFL) games, saying ‘it’s exciting to witness the passion people exhibit on game days.’ Nungky also thoroughly enjoyed her first experience watching a live AFL game; she says ‘it was a fantastic and entertaining experience.’

Recently, Deakin students were invited to attend an AFL workshop at the GMHBA Stadium in the Victorian city of Geelong. Coached by professional Geelong Cats players, the students learnt about the history of the sport and some tips and tricks.

There is always something new to see or do in Melbourne, however, some students choose to explore beyond the city in their university breaks and holidays. This year, Adyant is ‘incredibly excited to travel to Queensland during the summer and visit new places.’ Dim from Cambodia is excited to visit ‘beautiful places like the Great Barrier Reef.’ In her time off, Supraja is looking forward to learning how to surf and for students like Ha, her visit to Sydney to watch the fireworks for New Years Eve will forever be a highlight of her time in Australia, saying ‘I was proud of stepping out of my comfort zone to plan and travel by myself.’

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Learn more about living in Melbourne

Things to organise before you arrive

Learn more about Deakin’s Burwood Campus