Melbourne is the capital of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the most populous city in its state and the second most populous city in Australia. Melbourne’s glit-edged shopping, sporting, cultural activities and festivals ensure you will never be bored. Famous English-language weekly magazine-format newspaper, The Economist, rated Melbourne as the world’s best city to relocate to. Many people who move to Melbourne from Sydney have experienced that Melbourne’s lower house prices, better transport, lower crime rates and lower humidity make it a more livable city than its rival although it is less famous.

A new workforce of 35,000 people from overseas is needed each year to support the large and growing economy of Melbourne. Its population of 5 million enjoys a temperate climate and an abundance of economic and lifestyle opportunities. The inhabitants are called “Melburnians”. Melbourne scores the highest possible mark for all categories, including infrastructure, housing, education, access, environmental focus, crime rate, culture and cultural events, diversity and climate. Although Melbourne’s weather can be changeable, it scores the highest climate mark of any Australian city, partly because of its dry summer heat.

Melbourne has a booming cafe culture and offers its residents virtually unlimited dining and cultural opportunities. The shopping certainly competes with Sydney’s and there are a huge number of parks and gardens around the city. Melbourne also plays host to the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Australian Tennis Open, and, in Golf, the Heineken Classic and Australian Open. Melbourne does not sit directly on the ocean. It sits inside a bay – Port Phillip Bay – on the south coast of Australia’s state of Victoria.

Painting with a broad brush, the western half of Melbourne is perceived as “working class”. The eastern half of the city is thought of as “managerial” or “professional”. Due to high rankings of colleges and universities Melbourne was ranked as the world’s fourth top University City in 2012 after London, Boston and Tokyo.