How to Survive in Sydney

It’s said to be one of the greatest cities in the world - people flock to Sydney from all over the globe to see its sights, enjoy its relaxed lifestyle and take advantages of its beaches. It can be an amazing but tough city to live in for a traveller or a tourist though, especially if you want to stay longer than a couple of weeks. If you are planning to shack up here for a while, consider these hints below to help you make the most of your time in Sydney.

1. Live where you want to live

The whole point about travelling is to explore new places and live the life that you wouldn’t ordinarily be living in your hometown. Sydney is huge, so figure out what appeals to you and look for a unit or even some share accommodation in Sydney that is going to fit in with your lifestyle. For the majority of you, this will mean living near the beaches. There are dozens to choose from and although Bondi and Manly are the most popular, other beaches like Coogee, Dee Why, Cronulla and Palm Beach have lots to offer as well. Of course, you can also consider other spots in Sydney like the CBD, the suburbs or even as far out as the Blue Mountains for a unique living experience.

2. Consider sharing a house

If you’re up for it, house sharing is a great way to save money and meet new people. Living in a share house in Sydney means that you can save on money by splitting rent and other expenses. It might not be as cheap as you’d like and you’ll still probably have to contribute to a kitty, but it’ll still be cheaper than living on your own. So if you don’t want to have to fork out the amount of money it would cost to have your own apartment by the beach or pay to stay in a hotel, consider a share house and save some dosh.

3. Make sure you have a work visa

You’re probably already on top of this if you’re used to travelling, but if not, make sure you get yourself a visa that allows to work in Australia, even if it is just for a short amount of time. You don’t have to use it, but you also never know when you might need some extra cash. This doesn’t mean you have to get a “serious” job, but if you can wait tables, work behind a bar or head up some other tourist groups, a visa means you’ll be able to support yourself and earn some cash on the side.

4. Make new friends

If you’re travelling alone or only with a couple of people, try and make new friends in Sydney. You can make friends with local Sydney-siders or with other travellers from your own country or other countries. Making friends is also a great way to explore the city and get new ideas about what there is to see and how to see it. You might find a friend who knows all about diving or you might meet a Sydney-sider who knows a great pub. Making friends means you can also have someone to turn to and ask advice from if you need it, which can be helpful when it comes to things like transport, going out and where to go to get other kinds of help.

5. Sydney as a home base

One of the greatest things about Sydney is that it can also act as your gateway to the rest of Australia. If you happen to settle down in here and you can afford it, you can use your accommodation in Sydney as a home base from which to explore the rest of the country. Weekends and week-long trips to other places like the Whitsundays, the Barrier Reef, Melbourne, Ayers Rock, Tasmania and Perth are as easy as pie! And with Sydney as your base, it also means you have somewhere stable to come back to.