Choosing the right city to raise a family can be challenging, especially when balancing lifestyle, safety, and costs. While city life offers cultural buzz and convenience, suburban living provides space and a slower pace—making the decision even more complex for parents.
A new global report from Compare the Market ranked the best cities in the world for families, placing Melbourne as the seventh-best city globally. The study evaluated 50 major cities across nine key metrics, including safety, happiness, cost of living for a family of four, parental leave policies, green spaces per capita, and the number of child-friendly activities.
Melbourne scored highly with 166 kid-friendly activities, 2.3 green spaces per capita, a safety score of 80, and a happiness rating of 6.974, on par with Perth and Sydney. The city’s monthly cost of living for a family of four was $4,058 USD (~$5,715 AUD), lower than Sydney’s $4,162 USD (~$5,880 AUD).
Topping the global ranking was Brisbane, which offered the highest number of green spaces per capita with 84.89 parks and playgrounds per 100,000 residents. Highlights include South Bank Parklands, Roma Street Parklands, and the city’s two Botanic Gardens. Families also enjoy attractions like Streets Beach and Bluey’s World at Northshore Pavilion. Brisbane recorded a safety score of 90, second only to Helsinki (95), which ranked fourth globally.
Sydney was Australia’s second-highest ranked capital, placing fifth overall. It offered 246 children’s activities—more than double Brisbane’s 107—but came with a higher cost of living. Perth followed closely, ranking sixth worldwide.
Overall, Australian cities excelled in safety, child vaccination rates, statutory parental leave (54 weeks), and happiness (sixth globally), while maintaining lower living costs compared with most North American and European cities. However, Australia spends comparatively less on family benefits and education relative to GDP.
The world’s ten best cities to raise a family are:
- Brisbane, Australia
- London, UK
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Helsinki, Finland
- Sydney, Australia
- Perth, Australia
- Melbourne, Australia
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Berlin, Germany
- Seoul, South Korea
